Bitter Reunions
by Astrael
Summary: Ryoko returns to Earth after 5 years to visit Tenchi. But while she is there she is arrested for Sasami's death? Tenchi knows something is wrong and with the help of old friends sets out to fix it. Ryoko&Tenchi. Chapter 11 up!
1. The Invitation

08.13.07 - This chapter was written and posted in July of 2003. Since then, the story and the chapters have drizzled out over the past 4 years. I beseech new readers to understand that these early chapters were written when I was 15 and that the writing gets better (hopefully, haha) as the story goes on! I hope everyone enjoys the following story as much as I have enjoyed writing it thus far. x's and o's, Astrael

This is 5 years after Tenchi in Tokyo.  
**R&R is great**! Enjoy!

I don't own Tenchi Muyo or any related characters ect ect. Plot IS mine though! No takies!  
--------------------

She sat alone in the darkness of her room. There was no light from outside her window except for a single star, shining at her from thousands of miles away. Its light glittered in her teardrops. This was the Dark Zone. Here there were no stars for miles, and it was easy to get lost. But the light of this solitary star, probably about to die in a decade, was the marker she had used in her exploration. When even her crew had lost hope, they had found their way back to that star.

Now the star glowed red, reminding her of adventures when she was a few years younger. When she was wild and adventurous. Now the fire she'd had was gone. And if one lives in the dark they shrivel and die.

There were three beeps from the door across the room, the person on the other side of the soundproof doorway requesting permission to come in.

"Come in," she said. Her voice was soft and wary, and yet still hard with an intricate past few knew. The door slid open.

"Captain?" A woman stood in the entrance. She was clad in a red and black body suit, with a small red cap on her head and three gold badges on the left breast of the suit. She had a stern face and dark, almost black hair.

A flash of amber eyes, a swipe of her hand and the droplets that had been sliding down her cheeks were gone.

"Lieutenant. How many times do I have to tell you? Don't call me Captain. Just Ryoko." The young Lieutenant saluted her commander and nodded.

"Yes Cap-er, Ryoko. We are now exiting the Dark Zone. Major Makoto will take over your shift and direct the ship to headquarters." Standing from her seat in the window, Ryoko walked across the shadowy room, into the glow of the hallway.

As her leader does this, the Lieutenant does not see her as Ryoko, the notorious space pirate. This woman is taller, with sad amber eyes and long, soft blue hair. It normally falls in a cerulean waterfall down her back, but today it's been pulled back to keep it out of her eyes. The pictures do not compare, nor do the smiles. Wide toothy grins have been replaced with cheerless, reserved twitches of her lip.

It was hard to think this woman, who had done so much, had once been so destructive! She was well known and appreciated all throughout the universe. She had even been honored with several awards from one of the strongest and most respected planets, Jurai, due to her advances in science and space travel! Once her enemies, she befriended Queen Ayeka and Queen Sasami, along with their husband Kibishii, whom had hosted several different banquets in her honor over the years. She, along with the galaxy, had moved on from her past.

"Is that all you have to tell me Lieutenant?" Ryoko asked, leaning on the frame of the door and staring down the empty hall.

"No," her Lieutenant replied sheepishly. "You have a transmission waiting in the radio room." This seemed to spark Ryoko's curiosity. A trace of interest appeared in her voice.

"Oh? From where?"

"Earth."

The simple word brought back so many memories. They conquered Ryoko quickly, like a wave over a swimmer at the beach, and caused her to take off at a run down the hall, dismissing her Lieutenant with a call over her shoulder.

On the ship that Ryoko was traveling on, _Shiki_, there was a radio transmission room on every deck that had officer quarters so the officers on the ship could send messages home. So, it didn't take Ryoko long to get to one. She was relieved to find it empty and shut and locked the door. Then she turned out the lights and sat in front of the small computer screen across from the door.

She stared at the snowstorm on the screen before stating her identification number aloud. A small blinking envelope with wings appeared on the screen and with trembling hands she reached up and pressed it. There was a small beep and a smaller black screen appeared.

"Play." Ryoko stated, a tremor in her normally emotionless voice.

A woman appeared on the screen. She was tall, with jade hair cut to her shoulders and bluish-violet eyes. Clad in a red and gray Galaxy Police uniform, she stood at attention before saluting and stating:

"Captain Ryoko of the ship Shiki. I am detective first class Kiyone of the galaxy police. We- AURG!!" Kiyone was suddenly pushed aside by another woman who came into the picture. Like Kiyone, Ryoko recognized her right away. She was very tan, with blonde hair and baby blue eyes. She wore the same suit as Kiyone. Ryoko couldn't help but laugh at the assumed fact that they where _still_ partners.

"RYOKO! RYOKO!" The woman cried, covering her eyes with her hands and jumping around for a moment before grinning and clasping her hands together in front of her. "Ryoko! It's me! Mihoshi! Ryoko! I'm so happy! Wow! I'm so proud! I can't beli-Wahhh!" This time Kiyone, who looked slightly ruffled, and very angry, pushed Mihoshi out of view.

"Ryoko. We visited Tenchi on Earth last week, and have a video footage for you from him. He-"

"Stop!" The footage stopped half way through Kiyone's sentence, and Ryoko, realizing how tense she was, covered her eyes.

_He remembers me,_ she thought, in both delight and fear _He remembers_. Leaning forward in her chair and resting her elbows on her knees, Ryoko mumbled, "Rewind."

She watched the backwards motion of the footage, until she found the spot she wanted and requested the computer to play.

". . .Tenchi on earth last week and have a video footage for you from him. Here you go! Hope to see you soon!" Again Kiyone saluted, and their section of the message was over. Then there was a brief buzzing and another clip began. Sitting now in front of her, was a man. His face was tanned from long days outside and his hair as a midnight black color. Tenchi.

Unlike Kiyone and Mihoshi, she could barely recognize him. His rat-tail had grown out into a wave of hair that fell over his shoulders and down along his back. Though his eyes were still chocolate brown, they seemed much more serious. His once lanky frame was now muscular.

The look of anticipation in his eyes caused Ryoko to lean forward in her chair so much that she over balanced and toppled, still staring at the screen. For a moment, she sat there, holding back tears of joy, before lifting her hand up to the manual play button, unable to speak, and pressed down, causing the footage to start.

"Is this on?" Were his first words, as he looked off to his right. There was the sound of another replying, and then Tenchi looked back into the camera, eyes focused on a spot that seemed to be right above her.

"Ryoko… Ryoko." His voice was wistful with past memories. He smiled. "Hi! Kiyone and Mihoshi are here this week, and, well, I wanted to make this for you. Congratulations on your ship. I know you've been out in the Dark Zone or whatever it's called, for almost two years now, but I know you're out there! Wow… so much has happened. You left what? 5 years ago? Were you the last one to leave? I don't remember." A light blush crept across his face for a moment before he regained his composure and started again.

"Ayeka and Sasami are both Queens now huh? I always thought that their marriage system was just a little weird," He itched right below his eye, and was silent of a moment "but, if they're happy, so am I! I know about Kiyone and Mihoshi, and nobody knows about Washu, so I'm. . . I'm really glad you're still out there somewhere in the universe. A scientist huh? Well, I've only got a minute left on this transmission." He laughed, "It was the biggest one I could afford! But, I'd like to let you know that I miss you and it would be great if you could come and visit us here on earth. I still live at Grandpa's house, though he passed away last winter. Please come and visit. Well, Goodbye Ryoko." Again, Tenchi smiled and waved a little. Then the screen went blank.

"Tenchi…" Ryoko whispered leaning back till her head was resting in the chair "You haven't forgotten me… or when I left."

She smiled warmly at the memory, staring at the dark ceiling. Yes. She had been the last to leave. It was in spring, when the cherry blossoms were in bloom and the snow was gone, and it's just warm enough to wear a summer yukata. That's what she had been in: a soft pastel purple yukata, with an indigo sash. She'd skipped dinner to go down to the lake and think. It was hard to believe that so much had happened within that month.

It had started with Washu disappearing. Her lab had been there one morning and was gone the next, along with Yugi's body from the Masaki shrine. No message, no sign, nothing. Then, Kiyone and Mihoshi where called away to another section of the galaxy as a promotion. Kiyone was crying tears of joy and sorrow when they left. Mihoshi was just crying period.

Then, a ship from Jurai came one night. Ayeka and Sasami were dragged away during dinner by royal command so they could be wed. For a week, Ryoko was in confusion about where they'd gone? Why then? At first she thought being alone with Tenchi would be great, but it wasn't the same without them.

It had been unnaturally warm that evening. The waters of the lake where still lukewarm from the sunbeams, and was warmer than the night air. As the last colors of the sunset were disappearing under a velvet blanket of dusk, Ryoko became aware of someone behind her. Longing company, she'd patted the dock beside her and found Tenchi, quietly staring out at the lake with her. They sat in silence.

"Where'd it all go?" she'd suddenly asked, the edge in her voice catching both off guard. Tenchi shrugged in reply, and stared at her for a moment, before asking

"What are you thinking?"

"How I have to leave now too, and that I don't want to." He'd nodded, confirming what he knew was true. Silence again, before a soft sobbing disturbed the hush.

"Ryoko?"

"I-I don't wanna go. . ."

He had made no move to comfort her. She just sat there, holding back tears that pushed past her eyelids and streamed down her face; Tenchi, looking away, unsure what to do. When the silence finally returned, Ryoko stood, and turned away. Tenchi stood to join her.

"Ryoko."

"I'm leaving now-"

"What?! Now? You're Serious?"

"Tenchi…"

"Yes?"

She turned suddenly, throwing her arms around him and pulling Tenchi into a loving kiss. He was shocked, but made no effort to pull away. Ryoko was at ease just having his lips against hers; so soft, so gentle, making her aware of how rough and forceful her own lips were. She felt the threat of tears once again and pulled away.

The two stared at each other, incapable to say even a word. She turned away and ran towards the forest where her ship was waiting. As she ran, she looked down to her wrist and stared at the crystal hanging by some thread. If he ever needed her it would glow, and she would protect him. Slightly comforted by this thought, she ran till she got to the space ship she'd prepared, and within moments, was flying away over the lake. Looking down, she still saw Tenchi down at the dock, staring out at the water.

"But that was years ago!" She was still in the radio room, and Tenchi was still so very far away on earth. "And we were young!" She felt her throat tighten at the thought it had happened only 5 years in the past.

She got up, transferred the file to her personal folder and left the room to return to her quarters and sit in her window again. In the silence, she watched the pulsing red star at the edge of the Dark Zone come closer and closer, and heard the letter replay over and over in her head. He wanted her to visit.

"I will go," She stated aloud. Too long she'd lived in darkness, alone from this she truly cared for. With a small smile, she felt the fire deep within rekindle.

-------------------- END CHAPTER 1


	2. The Interview

I don't own Tenchi Muyo or any related characters ect ect. Plot IS mine though! No takies!

--------------------

Ryoko raised a small porcelain cup to her lips. She sipped its contents quietly, enjoying the taste of the burning alcoholic saké as she took pleasure in the first sip of alcohol she'd had since entering the Dark Zone almost two years ago. While musing at the fact that her taste for saké hadn't left her through all of her life changes, Ryoko watched as thousands of people bustled around the café of the spaceport they where docked in.

Outside the giant window on the far wall, she observed a giant space vessel as it flew by the window. Beyond it she could see their ship, _Shiki_, as it sat idly, waiting to park in one of the docking bays. She knew that there were very few of her crew left on the port. Everybody else had homes to return to for their two-year leave, while the information they'd gained was analyzed and the debate of whether or not they should return to investigate further was concluded.

Taking another sip, Ryoko swirled it around in her mouth, and turned her attention away from the cafe and the window.

"Excuse Me? Do you mind if I sit here?" a feminine voice said behind Ryoko.

"Sure, why not?" Ryoko concented, motioning to a seat across from her.

"Oh, thank you very much." Ryoko looked at the girl who was now joining her. She looked about 16, and had curly pink hair that'd been pulled up into two bushy ponytails. She looked up and met Ryoko's gaze with pale green eyes, before her mouth dropped open.

"Ohmigod! You're Masaki Ryoko!!" Ryoko sat stiff in her chair as the girl squealed in delight.

"My name is Kirameku Aisu. It's a pleasure! You can call me by my first name!"

"Uh. . . Ok. . . Aisu." The girl grinned widely and grabbed up a notebook, which she'd been carrying under her tray.

"What a coincidence meeting you here Ms. Masaki!" Aisu opened her notebook to a blank page and grabbed a pencil out of the binding. Ryoko gave a tight smile, the girls enthusiasm unnerving her a bit.

"Oh, is it?"

"Yes it is Ms. Masaki! I'm doing a project on you at my academy! Do you mind if I interview you??" Ryoko stared at the girl. She looked so hopeful. For a minute, Ryoko wanted to get away from the toothy grin she was receiving.

"Sure, why not," she finally sighed. Aisu looked like she'd been crowned queen of the universe. Her grin split even wider and her eyes got all misted as she grinned into the distance, her fists clenched.

"Wow! An interview with Masaki Ryoko! I can't believe my luck! I'm sure I'll get the best grade in the class!" Ryoko leaned back into her chair and crossed her legs. She figured she might as well help the girl. She had nowhere to go until the spaceship she'd rented was ready to use.

"OK shoot." Ryoko smiled genuinely as Aisu stared at her with excitement.

"Well, Ms. Masaki," she started, "Your past is kinda unclear. Everyone knows you where considered a demon for a long while, but you weren't arrested or anything. Why?"

"Well, during a lot of that time, I was living . . . with a pretty close friendship to both of the current queens of Jurai." Aisu's eyes bulged.

"REALLY???" She gasped

"Uh, yea," Ryoko said, amused at the almost comic reaction from Aisu. "The princesses at the time had put aside an old grudge, because we had a common reason to be on Earth." Ryoko's mind strayed briefly to the invitation she had from Tenchi to visit.

"When Lady Ayeka returned to Jurai, the police ordered my arrest, but she cleared my name, because she knew I was ready to start over." Aisu stared at Ryoko, hanging on her every word. "For some reason, living on earth calmed me down. Um . . . maybe you should write that down?"

"Oh! Yes, of course!" Aisu said, an embarrassed blush spreading across her cheeks as she started to scribble down the information. Once her pen stopped moving she looked up again to Ryoko.

"Ms. Masaki, after you left earth, what made you decide that you wanted to become a scientist?"

Ryoko sat silently for a moment, contemplating.

"Well," she said finally, "I'm not quite sure. I think if it hadn't been for Ayeka's pardon, I wouldn't have become much of anything. But the fact that she believed in me gave me some hope. It seemed everyone I spent time with became great people, and I wanted to find that same greatness in myself. Otherwise, I don't think I would have ever left Earth."

"Ms. Masaki, I have seen pictures of you when you were studying to become a scientist. Seeing you now you seem much mellower. Why is this?"

"All that time to think in the Dark Zone," Ryoko laughed aloud, watching Aisu write feverishly in her notebook. "I had a lot of time to myself, and being the captain of my ship, I couldn't do anything wild like when I was studying. I became dependent more on my own company than the company of others, I think."

"What is your favorite food or drink?"

"Saké." Ryoko laughed again. "I still like it, even since I became this 'mellow'. But I've learned to drink it in moderation."

"Earlier you said you and Queen Ayeka had the same reason for staying on Earth. What was that?"

Ryoko smiled at Aisu, "I'm afraid that is for us to know only. I am sorry."

Ryoko sat through several more of the girl's questions, these more about her personally than her accomplishments. The answer that seemed to surprise Aisu the most was when Ryoko replied that her favorite flowers were Earth's cherry blossoms.

After a little while Ryoko excused herself and returned to the room she was staying in on the spaceport. She placed her hand on the laser pad outside her door the door slid open. Inside the small room, was a small double bed, a desk, a small bathroom and a tiny kitchenette in one corner. A large window looking out into the void of stars and spaceships was on the far wall. Ryoko's large trunk sat in front of the desk.

Turning into the bathroom and switching on the light, Ryoko observed herself in the mirror, tugging the one of the small red earrings that dangled from her ears and then looking down to the crystal around her left wrist. She turned left and right, observing herself in the mirror.

"_Ms. Masaki, I have seen pictures of you before, like when you were studying to become a scientist, and seeing you now you seem much mellower,"_ Aisu's words echoed in her head.

"Am I really Mellower?" she asked herself aloud, pulling her elastic out and letting her aqua colored hair fall over her shoulders. She picked up a long strand and inspected it. It was darker now, she'd admit that, and also softer. But, her hair had not been styled in their spikes for at least 4 years, if not more. Her hair being so much longer hadn't been able to support them.

Taking a hunk of her hair Ryoko held it up and turned left and right, observing herself, before letting it drop. She then turned sideways, observing her figure. She confessed to herself that, though she had lost weight, she was still fit and muscular. She pushed her breasts up slightly by supporting them with an arm and winked at the mirror. Her reflection winked back at her.

"I have changed." It was a soft, almost defeated sounding statement, and Ryoko pouted at herself. She felt that she looked more like Sasami then herself now. Her beauty, though still present, was softer, more delicate. She could have described her moods and looks with vivid colors and odd shapes while on Earth. Now, she was all pastels and soft shapes.

A sudden anger built up inside her and she turned and left the room, hitting the button for the lights with a smack that made the metal below it groan. It felt satisfying. Not since her academy days had she used any of her powers either, though the power to was always there.

For a moment Ryoko stood in the dark. Then she walked over to the window and stared out at a single ship as it and its crew made its way towards the stars that seemed to sparkle endlessly in the dark sky. She pressed a palm against the window, feeling the cold of space despite the layers and layers of thick glass between her and that black nothingness. She then brought her forehead down to rest on the glass as well. A sudden thought tore at her mind and begging her to realize it. Tenchi's image swam before her eyes.

They had all changed; nothing was like it had been. What if Tenchi had changed as much as she had? Ryoko, the lusty, showy, drunken space pirate who had become a gentle scientist. What if Tenchi had changed too? She couldn't bear the thought of him being a loud, pushy man or anything other than what he had been. He'd been so perfect then.

She pushed away from the glass and took a deep steadying breath.

"I decided in the Dark Zone that I was going to visit Tenchi," Ryoko told herself aloud, holding her head high, eyes glimmering in the darkness. She wanted to, needed to. No doubting thought would stop her from that. She then forced herself out the door, making sure to leave her doubts behind her in the darkness of her room.

-------------------- END CHAPTER 2


	3. The Arrival

I don't own Tenchi Muyo or any related characters ect ect. Plot IS mine though! No takies! --------------------  
  
"Finish! Finish! Why can't you cook through for once?"  
  
Ryoko was sitting in the 'living room' of the little space travel ship she had bought with some of her paycheck. Inside a small microwave, a cup of Ramen twirled as it was heated. This was the fourth time Ryoko had cooked this particular cup, which was slightly stale and very unwilling to soften. She was dressed casually in a red skirt and matching tank top, her hair pulled into a braid.  
  
The buzzer of the microwave rang, and Ryoko, who had been sitting on the couch watching the cup of Ramen with frustration, got up. She picked her chopsticks up off a side table and in the same motion walked over to peer into the glass window, calculating whether it was ready or if another few minutes were in order. Pressing the button that sprung the door open Ryoko removed the cup and poured seasoning into it. She then returned to her seat and ate the cup of mostly-cooked Ramen in silence, observing the ship.  
  
It wasn't a very eye appealing vessel, floored with old tiling and an off-blue paint job on all the walls. But, it had been the best ship she could have bought that was within her price range.  
  
_It's times like this I wish I still had Soja...or even Ryo-ohki_ Ryoko thought, swirling her chopsticks around in the soup and remembering how Ryo-Ohki had left with Sasami. _Geez, I miss them  
_  
From behind a closed door in the corner of the room Ryoko heard an indicator start to chime. She placed her half eaten meal down on the side table and pushed herself off the couch. Opening the door with a feather light swipe of her fingers over a touch pad she walked into the control room, which she had left on auto pilot.  
  
"Japan has come into view from the south side of the vessel," A mechanical voice informed Ryoko. She stopped in mid act of sitting down into her seat and jumped back up, once again opening the control room door and running through the living room to a door on the opposite side and opening that one as well. This door lead to Ryoko's bedroom.  
  
"Earth." Ryoko's amber eyes were fixed, half lidded in memory, on the large window she faced. A slice of the shimmering blue orb was visible in the left corner. Below the island of Japan small and obscured from view by a layer of clouds, with exception of a land mass which Ryoko assumed was the northern most island Hokkaido.  
  
"It's almost like coming home," She whispered. Ryoko turned away from the view of the planet and returning to the control room to help with the landing.  
  
As she flew over the lake, Ryoko looked down at the sparkling waters that glimmered with late spring sunshine. The sun dipped behind the horizon. She lifted her eyes from the sight and continued to land the ship. It took an hour of effort to land the tiny space ship in the woods north of where Ryoko remembered the Masaki shrine to be.  
  
Once they were landed and everything was secure, Ryoko left through the loading hatch. She left a DNA force field over the open hatch. It looked like a dozen moving lasers. Only she could pass though the lasers without being effected, so that way she could turn off the security device if she wanted any one else to join her on the ship.  
  
The air outside the ship was warm, but a cool breeze rustled the young leaves of the trees above her head. Ryoko made her way down the hill. Suddenly though, she couldn't contain her excitement and she increased her slow amble to a jog, and then a run, and then a sprint, flashing between the trees as she transported for the first time in years down the hill.  
  
She threw up her hands and laughed, the sound echoing through the trees. She jumped and transported the furthest she had yet, almost to the bottom of the hill. She could see the water below her, sparkling still with the feeble rays of sun. Ryoko leaped out over the water, for one moment in her minds eye in a blissful suspension over the waves before she glided above the surface, using her flying power for the first time in what seemed like ages.  
  
The wind's hands pulled the elastic from her braided hair. The strands of hair untwined and waved behind her. She grinned, and laughed, lowering her fingers to the water's surface.  
  
_I'm home! I'm home!_ Ryoko's mind kept crying excitedly, and she knew deep in her heart that to her, it really was like returning home. She continued across the lake, landing heavily on the dock. Ryoko stood there, observing the house, the same as when she left, down to the last shingle on the roof. She could see a single star in the violet-blue sky above the house and covered her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. Then, she walked towards the front door.  
  
She reached to push the doorbell and then stopped in mid action, her finger suspended before the glowing button. Her hand started to tremble, thoughts pouring into her mind, a torrent of insecurity. But, before she could turn away, she forced her hand forward and pressed the button, hearing the chime.  
  
Ryoko waited, shifting from foot to foot. She then crossed her arms, decided against it moments later and placed them on her hips. She then moved them to be clasped behind her back as she looked anxiously at the ground. She could hear heavy foot steps in the hall and the door opened, flooding light onto her figure.  
  
"Hello?" She recognized the voice; it was the same as the one on the transmission. All the greetings she had worked out in her mind suddenly evaporated and she found herself at a loss for words, her mouth slightly open.  
  
"H-Hi Tenchi," she managed finally, her voice higher than normal in her nervousness. He did not reply. There was an awkward silence. Neither said anything. Ryoko looked up into Tenchi's chocolate colored eyes and gave a weak smile, seeing herself reflected in his eyes with her tall, slender figure and long wind-swept hair, tied into elf-knots.  
  
"Ryoko?" He finally said, sounding unsure of himself. She nodded sheepishly and then there was another silence. She felt a blush across her cheeks and saw the same blush tinting Tenchi's. He finally said after a moment, "Come in."  
  
Tenchi stepped aside for Ryoko and she stepped up into the entrance hall, looking around cautiously. It was still the same. Everything seemed the same except a few small paintings on the wall. She turned to look at Tenchi, who had a look of shock and amazement on his face.  
  
"Tenchi?"  
  
"You've changed Ryoko." She stared him full in the face, her eyes searching for fault in his face, trying to pin point the emotion in his statement. There was only surprise. Surprise and delight.  
  
"You've changed too," she said simply. Then she laughed aloud, and Tenchi echoed her laugh. "I was so surprised to see you grew out your rat- tail!" She smiled at him, pointing to his long hair which was unbound and hanging over his shoulders. He smiled back and picked up a lock to observe it.  
  
"You don't think it is too long?" he asked her, dropping it back onto his shoulder. Ryoko shook her head.  
  
"No. I mean, look at mine," She motioned to her own hair. "Yours is nothing." He smiled at her.  
  
"Come into the dinning room then Ryoko, I was just sitting down to dinner. There's plenty for you, too." He motioned for her to follow him, and lead the way into the dinning room. Ryoko followed after removing her shoes. The table still sat there in the same place, one spot set at the head of the table.  
  
"Where is your father?" Ryoko asked him quietly. Tenchi seemed unperturbed but his voice was empty.  
  
"Dad's on a business trip. He works a lot more now."  
  
"Ah." She walked cautiously over to the table as Tenchi disappeared into the kitchen, returning a minute later with another plate, cup, napkin and set of chopsticks. He laid it out opposite of where he was sitting and then started to dish stir-fried vegetables and rice onto her plate.  
  
"Tenchi! It's OK!" She smiled and took the serving spoon and her plate from him. "I'll dish us up tonight." Tenchi just kind of looked at her, his face unsure.  
  
"But you're my –"  
  
"Your guest? I know." She smiled again and ladled another spoonful of vegetables onto her plate before placing it down and reaching for Tenchi's plate, which he handed to her. "I took advantage of being your guest last time Tenchi." She kept her eyes lowered, watching the steam rising off the food.  
  
"That's enough vegetables Ryoko." She handed his the plate back and looked up. He was still looking at her.  
  
"What?" She laughed aloud to cover her insecurities. "Geez, I appreciate Sasami's work a whole lot more now. She ladled us up every night."  
  
"Yea," Tenchi smiled at her "Nothing I can make is as good as Sasami's, but I'm getting better."  
  
Ryoko sat down and picked up her chopsticks. "Tastes fine to me Tenchi!" she said as she swallowed her first bite of food. He thanked her and took a bite off his plate as well. The rest of the dinner was fairly quiet, with the two of them lapsing into reminiscent conversation.  
  
That night Ryoko offered to do the dishes. When she was done drying the plates and putting them away, she went to find Tenchi.  
  
He was standing out on the dock, one hand on his hip and the other hanging limply at his side. His face was turned up to the navy blue sky, watching the silver pin pricks of stars. She went to stand beside him, crossing her arms over her chest and looking at the water instead.  
  
"Nice night," she commented softly. Tenchi nodded in agreement. Silence fell and Ryoko scuffed her slippered foot against the wood of the dock. She looked up again just in time to see Tenchi look away. She felt anger spike suddenly.  
  
"Tenchi, WHAT is the matter?" She asked him exasperatedly, turning to face him and clenching her fists. "You haven't stopped looking at me all night!"  
  
He tilted his face away from her. "Ryoko, I can't get over how much you've changed." He said simply.  
  
"Is it a problem?" Her voice sounded angrier than she meant it to. She almost sounded anguished. At this tone he turned to her and the two stared at each other.  
  
_This isn't supposed to be like this. . .we're suppose to be happy now_. Ryoko bit her lip and lowered her face; tears were absent from her countenance though her eyes burned.  
  
"Ryoko, I'm sorry." Suddenly Tenchi was standing with her, his arms wrapped loosely around her shoulders. She stopped biting her lip and suddenly two tears were flowing down her cheeks, one from each eye. She reached up and grabbed the fabric of his t-shirt, holding onto him and placing her forehead on his chest.  
  
"I can't get over how much you've changed. You have this gentle beauty now, and I'm unsure how to treat you. It's almost like I'm afraid you'll break. I was so used to your flashiness, but now. . . Ryoko. . .I just don't know."  
  
Ryoko looked up to Tenchi, unsure of what to say. She didn't want to sound sappy or childish or stupid. She wanted Tenchi to know exactly how she felt and what she had felt since she left. She opened her mouth, the words forming across her tongue.  
  
"I don't want to leave this again."  
  
Tenchi's embrace tightened and she once again rested her head against his chest, listening to his heart beat. She released his t-shirt from her grasp and slowly wrapped her arms around his waist, finding this was all she needed. The stars seemed to swirl above their heads and only when the moon started its creep over the hills in the distance did Tenchi pull away.  
  
"I'll go get your bedroom ready," he said quietly, walking away. Ryoko watched him go, and only when he'd disappeared into the house did she make a noise. It was a low chuckling of giddy amusement.  
  
"He still doesn't understand women." She smiled though, looking to the shining face of the full moon, and decided that for the time being, things were good.  
  
-------------------- END CHAPTER 3 


	4. The Arrest

I don't own Tenchi Muyo or any related characters ect ect. Plot IS mine though! No takies! --------------------  
  
Ryoko woke late the next morning, the bright morning sun shining through the curtains in the guest bedroom Tenchi had made up for her. She shifted lazily to move out of the beam of sunlight that rested on her face only to have it shine on her skin again 15 minutes later.  
  
She opened her ocher eyes to little slits, breathing in the scent of freshly laundered bed sheets and the smell of the forest that blew threw a crack in the window.  
  
_Everything is perfect now,_ she thought with a contented sigh, sitting up slowly and stretching. She ran a finger through her knotted hair and then worked all five fingers of one hand through the locks that had tangled together while she slept, the other fist rubbing at her eyes.  
  
Slipping her feet out from beneath the covers of her bed, Ryoko stood and stretched again with her arms above her head. She caught a glimpse of her reflection in a large mirror across from her. She lowered her arms to gaze at her lithe figure, clad in only a large unmarked T-shirt of Tenchi's. She shifted left and right, observing her state.  
  
She had not done so since she had left five summers ago. In the dark zone, she had gotten up every morning and brushed her hair and fashioned it in some simple fashion, and dressed in the same style of a captain's suit that she wore every day. Now, she observed her figure and how she looked in the shirt and made sure her hair didn't look too ruffled or too tangled.  
  
When satisfied she turned away from the mirror and opened the door. She stepped out into the hall, leaving the door ajar. She walked down the hallway, her amber eyes fixed on the walls. She paused to observe a picture of Sasami. She held a cake towards the taker of the picture, a blue ribbon attached to the ruffled apron that she wore.  
  
Ryoko laughed softly at this and continued down the hall, stopping before the stairs to look at another picture that hung there. Mihoshi and Kiyones smiles where captured there among shining sun. She remembered the moment vaguely, recalling it had been after a small, but well earned promotion. Ryoko was pretty sure that she had been drunk then.  
  
At the bottom of the stairs there was a third picture hanging on the wall. It was of Ayeka and Washu decorating a Christmas tree. _I don't think I was there then...I can't remember where I was though.   
_  
She felt almost lonely then, as if her memories of the house were totally different from those everyone else shared. When she thought of this building, she thought of lazy afternoons and the smell of the lake. Of Sasami humming as she cooked, arguing with Ayeka, and Mihoshi crashing into the lake. Of cherry blossoms in the spring and snow in the winter and fireworks in the summer and fresh vegetables in the fall.  
  
But was this only her remembrance? Each event seemed solitary. Did the others remember times and places with each other while she could only recall that she had been sleepy or angry or drunk then? Was this why she was not pictured in the photographs on the walls? She had never been around?  
  
"That can't be true," Ryoko whispered to herself. She spyed a frame on a table in the next room and marched over to it. Snatching it up she gazed at the photo of Ayeka and Sasami almost angrily. She remembered pictures being taken. Several of them had been just her alone, others of her hanging off Tenchi or making faces at Ayeka. Where were they?  
  
She felt like the perfection of the morning and her situation had been shadowed. Moving from room to room quietly, so not to wake Tenchi, she looked for those pictures she should be in. Her obsession was petty, but important to her for one simple reason. It seemed to her that every picture of her had been removed so she would not be remembered. Was she THAT much of an embarrassment?  
  
From the room that she stood in Ryoko could hear the sound of heavy feet falling on the creaking staircase. Tenchi stumbled down the stairs, obviously still half asleep. Not wanting to face him when she looked so angry, aware of the blush on her cheeks and the hurt expression on her face, Ryoko teleported to her bedroom.  
  
As her feet touched the floor she turned around and shut the door, repressing the desire to slam it. She moved quickly around her room, dressing in yesterday's clothes since she had never returned to her ship for another set of clothing. She brushed and braided her hair and then ran her hands across her eyes and down her cheeks, taking deep breaths. She was still angry.  
  
Ryoko opened her door once again to smell something cooking in the kitchen. She took a deep breath of the smell and her stomach rumbled, though she did not feel hungry. She strode quietly down the hall, her eyes this time fixed on the floor. Reaching the stairs she teleported to the base and stood there for a moment before heading for the kitchen.  
  
Walking through the door, she was greeted with the sight of Tenchi, still in a loose t-shirt and sweat pants with tangled hair as he stirred something on the stove. Her turned when he heard her and smiled at her. Ryoko faked a grin that felt more like a grimace.  
  
"Would you mind setting the table Ryoko?" Tenchi asked as he turned back to the stove and mixed the potage in the pot. Ryoko silently complied and picked up the stack of bowls, cups and spoons.  
  
Ambling into the next room Ryoko started to set the table, laying down the dishes in the same spots that she and Tenchi had sat at the night before. She then returned to get the napkins. Re-entering the kitchen she grabbed the napkins from where they lay on a counter.  
  
"I was looking at the pictures in the hall as I came down this morning Tenchi," she told him coolly. She leaned casually against the counter, her head bent as if she was observing the napkins but her eyes fixed on Tenchi's back. Was it just her imagination or had he paused in stirring the mix in the pot? "There are a lot of really nice pictures."  
  
"Yea, there are." He turned off the stove and covered the pot with a lid and turned to look at Ryoko. She did not lift her eyes to greet his, so he moved to a spice rack near her and began to thumb through the labels, looking for the right jar. Closing his hand around a container of pepper he returned to the soup and lifted off the lid, steam billowing up.  
  
"Tenchi. . ." Ryoko began after a moment of silence. "Why weren't there any pictures of me in the hall?"  
  
"Because I didn't want your pictures in the hall," Tenchi told her simply. Ryoko looked up, hurt registering in her expression.  
  
"What about the living room?" Her voice was strangely steady, for tears were building in her eyes.  
  
"There are no pictures of you in the living room, either." He turned to look at her and stopped before saying anything else. Ryoko had placed balled fists over her eyes to stop her tears from flowing, dropping the napkins to the floor, not thinking of using them to cover her eyes instead.  
  
"I feel so STUPID crying about this!!" she moaned angrily, turning away from Tenchi. Neither moved and she stood sobbing into her hands.  
  
"Ryoko, What's wrong?" Tenchi asked her, finally taking several steps forward, his arm outstretched to pull her into an embrace. But as his hand hovered over her shoulder she moved away and turned to stare at him, pulling her hands away from moist red eyes.  
  
"Tenchi, there are no pictures of me in this house." She frowned at him and Tenchi looked taken aback. "It seems to me like you are trying to suppress the memory of me! Am I that much of an embarrassment? Do I make you that upset?!"  
  
Tenchi shook his head at her, startled. "Ryoko, you have this wrong."  
  
"Do I?!" she cried back. "I think you just don't want to admit the truth!" She turned her back to him and faded away, transporting into the front hallway and then again out the door. Once she stood outside she took flight, soaring away up into the sky.  
  
Ryoko flew over the lake without looking back, her tears warm on her face as the cold air of the atmosphere brushed against her skin. She refused to think about the cold; it was almost as if she was upset at everything and trying not to lose to it. If she let anything get to her she would be beaten.  
  
She did not stop flying until she could not see Tenchi's house, though a thin sliver of the lake still glimmered dully. The sky had darkened considerably since that morning, heavy dark clouds laden with rain slid across the horizon and blocked the sun.  
  
Ryoko spotted a small body of water down below her in the forest that was more of a large pool of murky water than anything. Descending through the trees she hovered above the water for a moment, the surface undisturbed. She was almost afraid to breathe. It was as if her noise would break the perfect scene.  
  
After a moment of hovering she glided over to sit on a tree that had been broken and fell into the pool of dark water. She landed on it and watched the ripples silently spread across the surface until they faded at the other side. Then sitting, she cupped her face in her hands and closed her eyes.  
  
It was a while before she lifted her face up to look around her again. Her eyes were red from silent tears and her skin was pallid. A huge amount of guilt was swimming inside of her, twisting around her insides.  
  
_ I never gave Tenchi a chance to explain.  
_  
_He has more right to be mad then I do._  
  
_I've ruined everything.  
_  
The clouds above her head rumbled forebodingly and Ryoko tilted her head to one side to awkwardly rest it on her right shoulder.  
  
_I should go back and apologize.  
_  
Ryoko stood from her perch on the fallen trunk and then lifted up into the sky, flying away from her secluded spot. As she soared above the tree tops the sky shook with thunder again and then suddenly thick sheets of rain started to pour from the sky.  
  
_Damn this rain_, Ryoko thought bitterly. _Bad stuff always happens when it rains_  
  
Unaware of how ironic her thought was, Ryoko continued towards Tenchi's house. She lowered herself so she soared right above the trees, close enough to drag her hands through their dripping uppermost branches. The rain was cold.  
  
By the time Ryoko found herself outside Tenchi's door she was sodden and chilled, her hair sticking to her face and her clothes clinging to her form. She stood for a moment gazing at the door, half expecting it to be locked. When she reached out though she found it unlocked and entered the house.  
  
"Tenchi?" she called weakly. The house was dark, with exception of the lightning that flashed through the house and painted strange shadows on the walls. She took a few steps out of the entrance space and several more down the hall, leaving footprints across the floor.  
  
"Tenchi?" This time she called a little louder, though she still sounded pitiful.  
  
There was the sound of movement upstairs and Tenchi appeared at the top of the stairs. "Ryoko!"  
  
She almost fell apart again there. She had expected Tenchi to be upset but he didn't sound angry at all. In fact, he sounded almost guilty as well. Teleporting the space between the stairs she reappeared only inches before him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, pulling him towards her as her feet touched the ground. This time, he didn't act as awkward as he hugged her back.  
  
"Ryoko, you are soaking wet!" Tenchi exclaimed after a moment, holding her a little ways away. "Did you get caught in the rain?" Ryoko nodded and allowed Tenchi to take her by the hand and lead her down the stairs, dragging her towards the bathroom where he got her a towel. He handed it to her, and she lifted the soft fabric to her face and wiped away the rain. Tenchi then lead her to the living room and got a heavy blanket from the couch and wrapped it around her shoulders.  
  
"Tenchi, I am so sorry." she blurted as he arranged the blanket around her shoulders. He shook his head slightly and looked at her almost sadly.  
  
"Ryoko, I am sorry too."  
  
"But you have no reason to be sorry!" Ryoko cried out. "I never gave you a chance to explain! I jumped to my own stupid conclusion! You have every right to be mad, and it is your house and you can put pictures wherever you damn well please!"  
  
Tenchi shook his head again, and then looked Ryoko in her eyes. Amber and chocolate reflected in each other for a moment and then he said to her, "I am sorry too, Ryoko. I didn't realize how important the photos are to you and I never gave an explanation. It wasn't a stupid thing to be upset about Ryoko."  
  
Ryoko smiled slightly and Tenchi smiled back. Then he said "Come with me, I have something to show you." He took her hand in his own and led her from the room into the entrance hall and towards the stairs. That is when the rumbling started. It began as a dull noise that increased rapidly and lasted far longer than any thunder, and increased in volume and intensity until it was screaming in their ears.  
  
"What is that?!" Ryoko asked Tenchi above the roar, her amber eyes wide with shock at the noise as she grasped at the blanket tighter around her shoulders.  
  
"I'm not sure!" Tenchi called back, looking nervous as he stared up towards the ceiling. Then the roar suddenly stopped. One moment noise was roaring in their ears and the next the silence seemed equally as loud. The two looked at each other, the abrupt quiet frightening them more than the noise had.  
  
"What was that?" Ryoko asked again. Tenchi, still equally confused shook his head slightly.  
  
At that exact second, there was the sound of breaking glass all around them. In all the rooms that surrounded the hall and even the rooms upstairs was the jarring sound of shattering glass, followed by heavy weights landing. Men dressed in white and black robes were suddenly swarming into the hall from the rooms surrounding it and down the stairs.  
  
Ryoko screamed and Tenchi stared bewilderedly around the room. The men were rushing towards them, four grabbing Tenchi and tearing him away from his spot so violently that he was knocked backwards into the people holding his arms.  
  
About a dozen other swarmed at Ryoko. They grabbed her arms and legs and three got her around the torso while one grasped her face. So many people were holding onto her that they had lifted her into the air. She was angrily screaming and writhing in their grip, still grasping the blanket in her hands.  
  
After a moment there was a loud cracking noise from the door and it was suddenly forced open, splinters of wood falling across the floor. Outside, a flash of lightning illuminated the figure of a person in a white and green uniform. Every man in the room who was not holding Ryoko or Tenchi bowed.  
  
In strode a man who looked to be middle aged, with a pinched face and wide eyes. He seemed to have an eternal look of disgust on his face. His long graying hair was braided to his scalp. With a small flick of his wrist all the men within the room stood again and stayed at ease. He fixed his eyes on Ryoko. A twisted smile pulled at his face.  
  
"Masaki Ryoko. . ." The man's voice was a rasp that was quiet but commanding at the same time. Though he barely spoke above a whisper, his voice could be heard all over the room.  
  
"You are under arrest. . ." He paused and looked straight at her, the suspense building in the area ". . . for the murder of Lady Sasami of Jurai."  
  
"WHAT?!" Ryoko cried, half shocked, half angry. "What the hell are you talking about?!" Her voice was sharp and hard, cutting through the sound of thunder like a knife.  
  
The old captain smiled ruthlessly and cocked his head slightly to the left. "Don't be foolish. You know for what act you are charged." He then straightened his head and looked to the man who had the grip on Ryoko's right wrist. "Tie her up."  
  
"WAIT!" Tenchi cried "There HAS to be some mistake. Ryoko has been in the dark zone for the last year! She has barely had time to stop by Jurai and still make it here!"  
  
The captain ignored Tenchi and turned. Ryoko screamed again as glowing golden handcuffs where clasped around her wrists. Two men each were holding the chains that connected to the clasps around her wrists. They tugged at them and Ryoko fell from the grip of the men and onto the floor, quickly pushing herself back up.  
  
"RYOKO!" Tenchi was now trying to pull away from his restrainers but with little luck. Ryoko looked towards him and struggled at her binds, but that didn't work either.  
  
"TENCHI! I DIDN'T DO IT!" She tugged with both arms very suddenly and the chains pulled from the hands of the officers. Ryoko overbalanced and tripped, slamming into Tenchi's chest.  
  
She looked up at him with amber eyes wide and grasped at his shirt. "Tenchi." She was breathing fast and her words were rushed and slurred "Tenchi, I haven't been to Jurai in over 2 years!" Behind her the golden chains were being picked up again by the embarrassed soldiers and they gave an angry tug on the manacles that pulled her away.  
  
Ryoko continued to struggle; she was red in the face and angry. She kicked several people and was screaming. Flashes of a violent loud Ryoko were showing in her eyes, the reflection of 5 years before. But with the effort of several men they got her out the door, followed by all of the other police, except the 4 that were still holding Tenchi.  
  
"Let me go!" he cried over and over. He struggled until one let go of his arm and punched him in the stomach. He dropped from the other's grips and then was kicked hard in the shoulder. Outside he could hear Ryoko screaming. He watched through his arms as the feet of 4 men walked out of his splintered door. Minutes later her screams seemed to blur, like a radio loosing its signal, and then the only sound was rain on the roof.  
  
Pushing himself off the ground Tenchi hobbled towards the door. As he reached the frame there was the same loud roaring noise and above him 4 large space ships were accelerating though the atmosphere. Mud and rain was blown into his face and his cries were carried away by the blare.  
  
Even after silence had fallen and the rain once again was the loudest noise he stood at the door, feeling helpless. Struggling to stand straight he turned back into the house and hurried across the hall and up the stairs, treading across glass and wood which cut his feet. As he struggled up the stairs, wild plans were forming in his mind.  
  
Tenchi found the door to his room open and the windows smashed. He stood in silence for a moment before walking in, his bloody footprints smearing behind him. He limped over to the bookshelf and picked up a picture frame that had fallen. The picture slipped out and floated face down to rest on the floor. Placing the frame on the shelf he bent down to retrieve the photo and flipped it over. Ryoko was smiling back at him.  
  
"This is what I wanted to show you Ryoko . . ." He looked up and around the room. Here were all the pictures she had searched for. Framed upon his own room's walls and upon its furniture.  
  
"I was selfish. I kept you to myself." He tucked the picture into his pocket. "I am going to get you back, Ryoko."  
  
Tenchi then hobbled out of the room and down the stairs. His plan was to grab a jacket and his shoes and then search around the hills to find the ship Ryoko had come in to check its records.  
  
At the bottom of the stairs he agitatedly stopped to brush at the glass pricking into his skin and then continued to the coat closet. Pulling its door open though he found that the floor was gone. In fact the whole closet was gone, and all he could see was darkness. But it was too late, because he had already started into the closet when this registered. Tenchi fell forwards into the void and the closet door shut with a click behind him and there was silence.  
  
-------------------- END CHAPTER 4 


	5. The Reunions

This chapter is dedicated to everyone who has reviewed so far. Your kind words fueled my writing while I was stuck in a writers block. Snaps for you all! -snap snap- Thank you for waiting so long for this chapter.   
  
I don't own Tenchi Muyo or any related characters ect ect. Plot IS mine though! No takies! --------------------  
  
"Teeeenchiii. Wake up Tenchi."  
  
Tenchi opened his eyes and stared ahead of him, seeing darkness before his eyes. He shifted slightly with a groan and squeezed his eyes shut. He then opened them fully and a face swam in front of m, long magenta locks falling around him.  
  
"Washu?"  
  
"Hello Tenchi." Washu chirped with a smile "Glad to see you're awake!" Washu's face then disappeared from his view, leaving him to gaze once more at the darkness above him.  
  
"Washu. . . What are you doing in my closet?" Tenchi asked, turning his head slowly to look at her. She was sitting Indian style on a floating cushion, her fingers dancing across the black see-through keyboard that he'd seen her work at before. She looked up at him and smiled.  
  
"You mean why you are in my laboratory?" She corrected as she continued typing. Tenchi opened his mouth, shut it, and then opened it. But he didn't have time to say anything because she got up and walked over to him, bending down to look him directly in the eyes.  
  
"Tenchi, I am here to help you get Ryoko back."  
  
"You are?!" Tenchi cried delightedly, sitting up and gazing at her.  
  
"Well, I wouldn't be a very good friend if I didn't!" Washu replied, standing up and shrugging. "I mean, I WAS her partner in crime at one time! Besides, this is exactly what the worlds greatest scientist is best at!" Washu laughed loudly, placing her hands on her hips. She then was recaptured by her silence and returned to her floating cushion to type.  
  
Tenchi took this moment to look around the room that he was in. It was fairly small, and circular, but had doors all around the walls. Each one was the same size with a rounded top and a small circular window of thick tinted glass near the top. The ceiling could not be seen, for it was shadowed and where it ended was indistinguishable. The walls were off white, with splotches of forest green.  
  
Tenchi slowly eased himself off of what he had been laying on and placed his feet on the hard warm floor, looking behind him and finding that he'd been on what looked like a slender black floating futon.  
  
Leaning against the bed Tenchi lifted his left leg cautiously and observed the bottom of his foot. There seemed to be no signs of the splinters of wood and glass that had cut him when the soldiers had shown up. Had those officers been Juraian or Galaxy Police?  
  
"Juraian." Washu said aloud. Tenchi looked up, bewildered.  
  
"You were talking aloud Tenchi." Washu informed him with a grin that seemed to spread across her whole face and lighten her entire aura. Her expression became somber instantly as she spoke again, "They were Juraian ships. There were four of them, sent on special order by Lady Ayeka and Lord Kibishii."  
  
Tenchi looked seriously at Washu, a small frown tugging at his lips. "The man who came in; the leader. . . He said he was arresting her for . . . for. . ."  
  
Tenchi struggled with the word on his tongue. He was tearing and small droplets appeared on his eyelashes that blurred his vision. "He arrested Ryoko for mur-murdering Sasami . . ."  
  
Washu lowered jade colored eyes to the floor and heaved a breath. She then looked back up at Tenchi who was vigorously rubbing away the tears in his eyes.  
  
"Yes, she was arrested for the murder of Lady Sasami." Tenchi lowered his arm and gazed at his toes, struggling with the next question.  
  
"Is. . . Is Sasami. . ." he choked on the word, and as he said it he tasted bile in the back of his throat "dead?"  
  
Washu glanced seriously at Tenchi, her face pinched into a calculating expression. She tilted her head slightly and then lowered her face to her computer so that strands of her magenta hair fell into her eyes.  
  
"Yes Tenchi." Tenchi mimicked Washu and lowered his face to the ground, his eyebrows knit together. There were tears forming on his lower lashes again, and he was thankful for unbound strands of his dark hair that was hiding his distressed expression.  
  
To think of Sasami gone . . . it was frightening as well as upsetting. When she had been living with him, she had been so sweet, and so mature. Sometimes, it was hard to remember that she was still a child. For a moment, he recalled the last time he had seen Sasami in person. That fateful night when Ayeka and Sasami were summoned back to Jurai.  
  
Since a marriage for Ayeka and Sasami had been put into place while they were on Earth, they hadn't any say on when it would be. That day the royal fleet had arrived on earth with formality and gravity. Over 30 soldiers were standing outside his door in the chill of early spring, the ground cold as ice and their breath coming as puffs from their mouths.  
  
The commander at the door was an old man. He started to explain the situation to Tenchi seconds after a hasty greeting to him. The commander, who made sure he remained nameless throughout the entire ordeal, talked very fast using long words. When he was done, only his final sentence rang in Tenchi's ears confusing him even more.  
  
'Therefore, to the highest degree of anguish of the imperial flotilla, we are obligated to convey Lady Ayeka and Lady Sasami back to Jurai for their nuptials.'  
  
The man then had moved Tenchi to the side and about 5 men entered the house. He could hear the protests of Ayeka, Ryoko and Sasami from the kitchen as the soldiers entered. He followed the militia to stand in the door frame and saw Ayeka talking to the man who Tenchi had greeted at the door. Ayeka looked solemn and Sasami frightened as she clung to the back of her sisters dress. Ryoko was frowning and looking disrupted and angry.  
  
"What is going on here?" Tenchi had asked from the doorway. Ayeka turned saddened burgundy eyes towards him and attempted a limp smile.  
  
"They want us to return to Jurai Lord Tenchi . . . It seems that there has been a marriage planned for Sasami and I." Ryoko had made a low noise of disapproval and he had stood stunned. To everyone's surprise Sasami broke out in tears  
  
"I'm not going with them!" She'd wailed, bowing forward to hide her eyes in Ayeka's hair. "I'm too young for a marriage! I want to stay here! I want to stay with Tenchi! I am not ready to grow up yet." The assembly watched as Ayeka turned to Sasami and embraced the small girl in her arms.  
  
"Shhhhh Sasami . . . we must . . ." Ayeka heaved a defeated sigh "We must go with them . . ."  
  
Tenchi heaved a sigh similar to Ayeka's way back then and shut the memory away, the bewildered look that had painted Sasami's face too much of an anguish.  
  
As the silence between the two of them stretched Washu looked up to Tenchi. Her face was drawn, and serious, but she was obviously putting on airs, since her emerald eyes were unusually moist. She watched Tenchi as he got lost in his own thoughts, pondering her own. Tenchi cleared his throat to grab Washu's attention.  
  
"Washu . . . How do you plan on getting Ryoko back?"  
  
"I'm not quite sure how I am going to do it Tenchi. I have only been assessing the situation for about 16 hours."  
  
"16 hours?" Tenchi echoed. "16 hours since Ryoko was imprisoned?" He was obviously frustrated by this. What were the chances of catching up with the Jurian ship now?  
  
"Tenchi," Washu began, as if she was trying to calm a child about to have a tantrum, "I had to take care of you, plot the path the ships were taking back to Jurai, find the ship Ryoko took here, call Kiyone, decode-"  
  
"Kiyone?"  
  
"Yes. Kiyone and Mihoshi are on their way." On the keyboard in front of Washu a light started to flicker and bleep. She seemed pleased at that.  
  
"Ah. They'll be here soon! Follow me Tenchi, I'll show you the way out!" Washu climbed off of her cushion and walked past Tenchi casually to one of the many identical doors. Turning the knob it swung open. Inside was an escalator heading up into the darkness of the room beyond it.  
  
"Follow me please Tenchi." She stepped onto the moving stairs and started to disappear into the dusk of the room. Tenchi follow, anything up enthusiastic. He stepped onto the escalator and looked around at the ever present duck around them, seeing only the outlines of the large cylinders and tubes around him.  
  
"I don't remember you ever having a place like this in your lab Washu . . ." Tenchi commented quietly, his voice echoing in the strange silence of the room as the escalator moved them noiselessly upwards.  
  
"That is because I never had anything like this in my lab five years ago Tenchi. Last year I re-vamped during spring cleaning. It is now 22% easier for a person who knows where they are going to get there and 34% harder for intruders to find their way around! Also I cleaned out a room I had totally forgotten about and have 45% more storage space!" She turned around to look at Tenchi, beaming with her accomplishments. Tenchi smiled back, her mood rubbing off on him, even if only slightly.  
  
"Is Yugi in here?" He had to ask. Sakuya had been a big part of his life for a long time and Yugi was directly tied into that. Washu smiled at him, though what emotion had caused the smile was hidden.  
  
"Yes, she is here." The conversation was left at that.  
  
They traveled in silence after that, each to their own thoughts. Washu eventually broke the silence.  
  
"Here we are Tenchi! Watch your step!" She skipped up the last few of the rotating steps and jumped onto a small platform. Tenchi followed suit, landing heavily on both feet. Before the two of them was a door. It was simple and wooden, an exact replica of his closet door. Washu walked over and opened the door, motioning for Tenchi to go ahead of her.  
  
Tenchi hesitated for a moment. Beyond the door, everything seemed quiet. But he still didn't want to go out there. He was afraid of what he might find. But it was obvious to Tenchi that Washu was not going to lead the way. With a slight shudder Tenchi walked out the door.  
  
If it wasn't for the shattered glass and his bloody footprints Tenchi would say the house looked almost normal. The past evening had dawned into a beautiful day. The sky was empty of clouds and the wind whistled softly through the windows and the still open door. Sunlight glinted off the sharp glass splinters that were scattered across the rooms.  
  
Behind him, Tenchi heard Washu close the door to her lab. She looked around at the hallway, her eyes lingering on the broken window panes and the copper colored footprints across the floor and up the stairs.  
  
"Isn't it funny?" Tenchi mumbled as Washu stood beside him "My whole world just came crashing down around my head, and the sun is still shining and the day is gorgeous. Why?"  
  
Washu bowed her head and said nothing. Tenchi smiled a little lopsidedly and looked around again. For a long while he studied a piece of glass at his foot. But something sticking out of his pocket pulled his attention away from that. It was a celluloid corner that was sticking out of his pocket.  
  
Tenchi took a moment and eased the picture out of his pocket, being careful not to rip any corners. One it was free of his pocket he smoothed the wrinkles out with his thumbs and then stared at the image. It was the picture of Ryoko he had picked up from his floor right after the soldiers had left.  
  
The picture in his hand didn't bring him comfort, or make him feel any more upset. He was feeling about as low as he thought possible at that moment, and seeing Ryoko's smile and the rays of sun caught in the picture reminded him of the fact that Ryoko had been taken prisoner and unjustly charged. But the picture did bring a certain determination to Tenchi. Now he wanted to find her, to clear the record and get her back.  
  
Slipping the picture back into his pocket Tenchi gazed around the main hall once more. Washu seemed to be done giving Tenchi time to reflect because she instantly started to usher him towards the main door.  
  
"Careful of the glass Tenchi!"  
  
Tenchi stepped as cautiously as he could around the room, surprisingly not cutting his feet again though he did get poked several times and had to stop to brush away the things that had stabbed him. Once Washu and Tenchi were clear of the mess in the house Washu took the lead and brought the two of them to stand in front of the lake.  
  
"Washu?"  
  
"Keep you eyes on the sky Tenchi. They should be here soon!"  
  
Tenchi blinked in confusion to this and looked up at the sky of blue and the few fluffy clouds that drifted along idly. He scanned the horizon and looked around him in a 360 circle, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. Then Washu pointed to something and Tenchi looked up, staring at a small moving dot.  
  
"What is that?" Tenchi shielded the sun from his eyes with his hand and squinted at the speck.  
  
"That is Kiyone and Mihoshi's space ship! Once they're here we can leave for Jurai."  
  
"You really have this planned out, don't you?" Tenchi asked, a little surprised.  
  
"Noooo, not really!"  
  
Tenchi shook his head a small smile on his lips.  
  
"But just because I'm not planning doesn't mean I am not ready Tenchi." Washu said in a rather serious voice. Tenchi attempted a wider smile, knowing Washu was right. The speck in the sky started to get larger, turning from black to the gray of metal. Soon a dull roar filled the air, becoming louder. Tenchi frowned slightly, backing up and sincerely hoping that Kiyone was the one in the driver's seat.  
  
Above head, the space ship soared, swirling dust around the two people below. Tenchi covered his face and Washu shielded her eyes.  
  
With skill the spacecraft, rather small when it was up close, made a landing on the far side of the house, smoothly setting down on the edge of the woods. The engines cut and a silence void of even the sounds of nature was left. A door on the side of the ship creaked and lowered down. With professional seriousness two women marched out of the ship and across the space to stand in front of them. They snapped to attention and saluted.  
  
The two figures who stood before Tenchi and Washu smiled as they broke their salute. Tenchi had seen both officers recently, but Washu hadn't, and was obviously happy to see them. Kiyone grinned and Mihoshi's eyes got watery. For a moment no one moved, which Tenchi found awkward. But the moment passed and Washu was tackled by Mihoshi and greeted by Kiyone.  
  
"MISS WASHU! MISS WASHU!" Mihoshi wailed as they went crashing into the ground. Kiyone's eyes widened and she jumped at her partner in an attempt to get the girl off Washu.  
  
"Mihoshi! You're such an embarrassment! Get off Washu!"  
  
"Ah, I'm sorry!" Mihoshi crawled up off of Washu and stood above the scientist scratching her head in humiliation. Kiyone offered her hands to Washu and helped her up and then the two embraced quickly.  
  
"It's been a while Washu." Kiyone said with a smile. Washu smiled back and stepped away.  
  
"Indeed it has."  
  
"Are you ready to go?" Kiyone asked, looked between Tenchi and Washu. Mihoshi fidgeted behind her partner, obviously wanting to ignore her trained duties.  
  
"Yes we are." Washu replied. Tenchi frowned as he looked at her.  
  
"Washu, I need to pack and clean the house and let Dad know I am going. I'd like to leave as soon as possible but I really can't leave all these loose ends."  
  
Washu laughed, snapping her fingers. Behind her two suitcases flickered into focus and then became solid. Around the house 4 basketball sizes robots appeared.  
  
"I have it under control Tenchi. Everything is packed, these droids will clean the house and fix the windows, and there is a hologram in the entrance hall that will activate when your father gets home explaining the basics." Washu grinned, pleased with herself "No less from the greatest scientific genius in the universe! So I'll leave you to get your luggage!" Washu then walked away. Kiyone started to help Tenchi but Washu grabbed her arm and tugged her away, the suitcase she had been about to pick up falling to its side.  
  
"I need to show you travel plans Kiyone!"  
  
"Oh, I'll take this one Tenchi." Mihoshi said, reaching for the suitcase. Tenchi picked up the other one and the two fell into step behind Kiyone and Washu.  
  
"Wow Tenchi, this is almost like old times, isn't it?" Mihoshi bubbled, awkwardly clutching the suitcase to her chest. Tenchi smiled.  
  
"Almost." He agreed, lowering his eyes.  
  
"Tenchi, we will get Ryoko back."  
  
Tenchi looked up to meet Mihoshi's baby blue eyes. She gave him a small smile and looked ahead.  
  
"We'll get her back Tenchi. Till then there is no use sitting around being sad, it won't help any one. We're all worried, but we need to be strong for one another! We've done this before, and we'll do it again!"  
  
Tenchi smiled and took a deep breath.  
  
"Tenchi, Mihoshi, come on!" Kiyone called over her shoulder as Washu lead her onto the little ship. "The main ship is waiting for us and once we get there we can get going!"  
  
"Come on Tenchi!" Mihoshi called, running for the ship. Tenchi smiled again, wider and feeling how nice it really did feel to be reunited with these three.  
  
"I'm coming Ryoko..." He murmured, pausing for a moment. Then with a smile he shook his head.  
  
"No. WE'RE coming."  
  
-------------------- END CHAPTER 5  
  
Wow, that was a long and difficult chapter for me. When I started this fic I was so familiar with the Tenchi in Tokyo series but now I can barely remember the series other than my sincere dislike of Sakuya. ; Please excuse any problems with the setting or the writing 


	6. The Juraians

I don't own Tenchi Muyo or any related characters ect ect. Plot IS mine though! No takies!--------------------

Ryoko opened her eyes, her sight blurring and moving crazily about until she found she could actually focus on the dark brown ceiling. Moaning aloud she shifted and then turned to her side. Once again everything became distorted and she closed and opened her eyes several times to stop it.

"Where am I?" she whispered, confused by the dark woodish color of the walls. Everything was indistinct. Had she ever remembered anything? Closing her eyes and swallowing back the phlegm in her throat she tried to focus. It almost hurt to think, but she made herself piece it all together. Then it suddenly hit her, like a breaking wave.

"Tenchi." She gazed around the room, taking it in now with renewed clarity. She could remember it all; being arrested, transported to the main Jurian ship and being injected with serum only moments after being put in her cell before it all dissolved to black.

Ryoko lay there for a moment looking around the cell and getting angrier by the moment. Angry and confused. More than anything she wanted to grab up a guard and shake the information out of him. But she couldn't hear anyone, and the door in the far corner of the room had no window. Flexing her hands with frustration brought her attention to the handcuffs that were still around her wrists; faintly glowing a golden light with a thin metal chain between them.

Once again the remnants of the serum she'd been given caused her vision to blur and her mind to cloud. After a moment on the edge of consciousness everything snapped back into view.

With a loud sigh Ryoko returned to lying on her back and stared at the ceiling, accepting being too intoxicated to do anything. The silence was unnaturally loud, buzzing and humming. She zoned for a while until the door across the cell opened suddenly, and a man stepped in. The man, seeing she was awake, sneered at her.

"Good to see you 'ave joined us. I 'ave your meal 'ere."

Ryoko blinked at him, and sat up to the best of her ability, leaning on an elbow. The man was solid with dark hair and pale scars across his face in several places. He wore a white and blue uniform and seemed to have a cross disposition. Behind him another person stood. This one was a woman with a cook's uniform on, her white hair pulled into an intricate knot at the back of her head.

She entered the room fearfully, refusing to look Ryoko in the eye. On the small table beside Ryoko's bed she set the tray she was carrying down before retreating out of the room as if she had been stung. Ryoko looked over at the bowl of watery soup and the slice of bread and a few small vegetables.

"I could have sworn that the people of Jurai were so much more hospitable to their guests, even prisoners." She spat the last word out, glaring up at the man who still stood in the doorway, glaring.

"Not for murderers 'ey don't," he scoffed.

Something in Ryoko snapped. Murderer? It seemed to have become her new title. Rolling off the bed she charged at the man. "I am not a murderer!" She cried, stumbling on unsteady feet. "I am not!"

The man seemed shocked by her outburst but recovered quickly. He reached down to a golden colored chain that hung from his belt and grasped the charm on it. Ryoko suddenly felt a sharp pain through her entire body originating from the cuffs around her wrists, and fell forward, smashing her shoulder and forehead on the floor.

"We're landin' on Jurai in an 'our." the man said as he looked down at her. Without another word he left, the door clicking several times as it locked.

Ryoko remained on the floor, unable to move. Her entire body was numb, even to the extent that she couldn't roll off her shoulder and onto her back. The only good part about this was that the places she had hit in her fall were numbed to the degree of a dull ache. Ryoko could see blood droplets on the floor before her eyes.

Murderer... It seemed like such a dirty word. She had been many things recently, but murderer was not one of them. The word seemed so much filthier when she tacked the other word with it. Sasami. Murdered Sasami.

Ryoko closed her eyes to the ever increasing pool of blood in front of her eyes at the thought. Sasami was a sweet girl, mature and beautiful. She was so talented with her cooking and cleaning. Ryoko felt her throat tighten as gruesome pictures filled her imagination. Murdered Sasami. Dead.

She remembered the last time she had seen Sasami. Visiting Jurai, she had found the young Queen in one of the palaces many gardens, sitting under the large tree that fanned out over the rest of the plants. She looked striking and traditional in her large kimono and the cloak that covered it. Her head was turned away from Ryoko and she was playing with a tassel that had fallen from one of the two buns she kept her hair in.

Ryoko sat beside the young woman, leaning forward and clearing her throat gently. Sasami had turned to look at her with an empty, court-trained expression, her rosy colored eyes unfocused. But seeing Ryoko there, her face had changed to a look of welcome.

"Lady Ryoko," she greeted with all her Queenly formality. Ryoko bowed her head.

"Lady Sasami," she replied. Sasami smiled sadly and looked away, resting her hands limply in her lap.

"How are you Ryoko? Do you leave soon?"

"This afternoon actually, My Lady."

"I see. Where are you returning? The academy? The Dark Zone?" She paused and looked at her hands "Earth?"

Ryoko frowned and looked away watching small chattering birds on a nearby garden wall.

"No, not Earth....the Dark Zone," she said with a small longing sigh. The two were silent, each in their own thoughts. Sasami looked towards Ryoko with gentle eyes.

"I'm sorry if I was being rude asking that Ryoko." Her voice was not so proper, and she sounded much younger. "It's just...at times I miss Earth so much. Jurai is wonderful, I don't deny that, but I loved Earth's simplicity. I am too young for this Ryoko. I grew up too quick and my heart is still on that little planet in the middle of no-where. This castle has too many secrets...too many that I don't like to discover." Ryoko looked back at Sasami, feeling Sasami's sadness in her own heart. She missed Earth too, with all her heart, but Sasami couldn't return while she could.

Ryoko opened her eyes to the cell again, feeling the uninvited tears on her cheeks. Sasami had never returned to Earth. She never had the chance to and never would again. Ryoko gave a quiet little sob as she thought of the girl, and how the terrible deed of her death was pinned on her. She wished she knew why. She wished everything was clearer.

In the silence of the cell Ryoko awaited the landing of the ship. When she had gotten some of her strength and movement back she returned to the cot and picked feebly at the food. It tasted worse than it looked, and she eventually gave up on it, falling awkwardly back onto the bed.

Time passed disgustingly slow and it seemed all too long for Ryoko before the walls of the ship started to shudder with the descent into Jurai's atmosphere. She had never liked the feeling and closed her eyes, though it didn't help her churning stomach. When all sat still she could taste the uninvited vomit in the back of her throat and she worked to keep it there.

It wasn't much longer a wait before three officers were standing in her doorway. Two of them looked nervous and inexperienced, but the third, dressed in the colors of a commanding officer, had a face of stone and cold gray eyes. Without a word the three of them got Ryoko to her feet and out the door, leading her down a blindingly lit hallway and off the ship.

They were in one of the newer Jurian hangers, and Ryoko guessed it was fairly close to the palace, seeing how there were several private spaceships parked on higher levels. All around people were moving, running, walking. The entire hanger seemed to buzz with activity.

Very few people took notice of Ryoko and her guards. Many of the people were in military outfits or Galaxy Police uniforms though a few smaller groups of people in palace clothing walked by, wearing the dark blues, blacks, and grays of mourning. They seemed to be oblivious to the world around them, and Ryoko was thankful, afraid of what might happen if one of these people recognized her.

The guards eventually, on an unnoticed signal, moved Ryoko away from the large crowds and into a smaller room where a transport ship was waiting. It was a lot like the cars of earth, but it hovered and had more of a box shape. Inside were two benches, and Ryoko was seated on one next to the stone-faced officer. The younger two took seats across from her and the driver of the transport ship arrived moments later to shut and lock the metal doors with a satisfied click.

The cabin was swathed in dim light and shadows and Ryoko shifted uncomfortably. She turned her eyes to the only openings, the small barred windows at the top of the ship's doors. She could see cold metal beyond, and hear the world distantly, as if her ear was pressed against the door. It was overall depressing and uncomfortable.

When the ship started to move with a slight jolt, the light trickling through the windows became steadily brighter, until golden rays were falling through the bars and resting in front of Ryoko's feet. She stared at the golden puddle, composed and silent. But inside she was nervous, and angry and still terribly, terribly confused.

The ride to the palace wasn't very long. Ryoko had been correct in assuming that the hanger had been close. They seemed to avoid the crowded areas. Talk and commotion always seemed to be just a few streets away. Then, quite suddenly, the cabin of the transport ship was dark once more and Ryoko knew they had entered palace grounds.

The car stopped a few minutes later with the same jolt it had started with, and seconds afterward the doors swung open and Ryoko and her guards were on the move again. They got out of the transport ship and marched across the almost blinding courtyard to a small door leading into the palace and down a hallway.

Their footsteps echoed on the walls made of a strong marble-like rock and the two younger guards, each holding one of Ryoko's bare arms tightly in their grasp, were almost shoulder-to-shoulder with her in the narrow hall. It twisted on and on until finally opening up in a large room draped in dark blue and gray as opposed to the normally bright colors that Ryoko associated with Jurai.

Dark blue and gray, the colors of mourning. It was all so real.

Across the room, in the tall arched doorway draped with black silks, a woman appeared. She was dressed in an elegant flowing kimono of several shades of gray and a sash of black. Her deep lavender hair framed her face and, not sporting the pigtails it used to, fell around her shoulders and down her back to almost her feet and was set off beautifully by a small tiara.

On each side of Ryoko, the soldiers snapped to attention and then bowed, pulling Ryoko down with them. The woman almost overbalanced and toppled over, but the guards held her tightly and instead she painfully tugged her shoulders and winced. Once the guards stood upright again, Ryoko looked to the woman in the doorway.

Ayeka, Crowned Queen of Jurai, looked back steadily, almost icily. Clasping her hands in front of her she slowly walked towards them on silent feet. Her face, pale from the stress of the current situations, was carefully blank. But Ryoko could see past her composure, and she could see that Ayeka's crimson eyes burned with longing, sorrow, and hatred. It was obvious that Sasami's death was like a fire eating Ayeka alive.

"Masaki Ryoko..." Ayeka said as she came to a stop in front of Ryoko and her cluster of guards. The two were silent for a moment, mirroring blank faces at one another. For a moment Ryoko thought that Ayeka would continue with her professional formality, something that both her and her sister had done in the presence of other Jurians when Ryoko had been visiting. But then Ayeka did something no one present expected. She gave a bitter smile, and slapped Ryoko.

Everyone seemed shocked at Ayeka, even the Queen herself as she stared at the perpetrating hand. But some unrecognizable emotion passed over her face and she looked up at Ryoko.

"I...I hate you," she whispered, squaring her shoulders as if she was expecting a rebuttal and clenching her fists.

Ryoko, still recovering from the shock of being slapped attempted to touch the mark with her cuffed hands. She seemed even more off balance by this and stared Ayeka in the eye, trying to look for something other than what she saw. And she did see something. Betrayal was alive in Ayeka's expression and she understood why.

Ayeka believed that she had killed Sasami. She believed that Ryoko had thrown away years of companionship and had taken away her sister. And though Ryoko understood, she still felt just as betrayed and angry.

"Do you really believe all you hear your Majesty?" She sneered; spitting the title out like it was a swear. "I didn't kill Sasami, got it?!" Her face and voice hardened, and she suddenly resembled her space pirate alter-ego like she hadn't in years.

"Why are you lying about it?! All I want to know is _why_ Ryoko!" Ayeka cried back, her own maturity thrown away as her temper flared.

"What I want to know is _why_ you believe this shit Ayeka!?"

"I guess some people never change!"

"Ladies! Please, let us control ourselves." The attention of those in the room was now turned to Kibishii, King of Jurai.

Kibishii was standing in the same arched doorway Ayeka had entered in. He was a tall slender man, dressed in a dark blue kimono with a black cloak draped over it. His hair, thick and midnight black, was clasped in the front with silver rings so that it framed his face. The rest was pulled back away from his orange/brown eyes and clasped with the same type of ring into a long pony tail in the back.

As he approached the small cluster of people, he had the same air of professionalism and custom as the rest of the royal family donned; but behind his mask was a different man, poorly hidden behind his manner. He was playful, and sly and mysterious, even with the obvious stress in his expression it shone through.

"Masaki Ryoko." He gave her a careful smile, and this time Ryoko was ready for the guards as they swept into their bow, and the three together moved like a well oiled machine. Once they were upright again his smile turned into a frown and he said, "I was hoping that the next time we'd meet wouldn't be under occasions like this." Ryoko nodded in agreement, sparing him only a glance before looking again to the Queen.

"Ayeka." The man then turned to his wife, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I understand that we are all under stress as of late..." He paused for a moment, and it was obvious to all what he meant by stress. "But still, you forget yourself."

Ayeka tore her gaze from Ryoko to look at her husband. It was obvious she still wanted to lash out and express the anger she had kept so carefully hidden, but something passed between them, and Ayeka humbled herself and looked away.

Kibishii kept his hand lightly placed on Ayeka's shoulder, giving it a squeeze before he gave his attention to the guards.

"I feel that there is a need for a private word between Miss Masaki and Ayeka and I. You know as well as I-" he gave a sharp glance to both guards "-that her wrist cuffs prevent any use of her powers. The serious treatment of Miss Masaki isn't necessary."

Ryoko felt the men on either side of her loosen their grip, and then they let go entirely. The two of them, along with their senior officer (who'd been hovering behind his charges since they got out of the transport ship) retired to stand out of hearing distance from the royal couple and the prisoner.

"Ryoko," Kibishii said after a moment, addressing her with the familiarness that she'd been accustomed to at Jurai before this. "I am sure you have as many questions about the current situation as Ayeka and I do." His voice became low and sad. Ayeka grudgingly refused to look at either her husband or Ryoko "But still, now is not the time to ask them. I am afraid that we can't offer you the same hospitality as we have during past visits, but we will attempt to put you in the best location that the current...uh, situation, can allow for."

Ayeka muttered something under her breath and Kibishii tightened his grip on her shoulder. Ayeka then finally met Ryoko's eyes.

"I hope you can forgive me, Miss Masaki, but I must attend to other things now." She said this with all the formality a Queen of Jurai could muster, but her face gave her away. Ayeka didn't want to be anywhere near Ryoko at that moment. But, Ryoko felt her leaving was no great loss either. Taking her husband's hand from her shoulder, Ayeka gave his fingers a squeeze and then turned and left through the same arched doorway that she'd entered through.

"I suppose that means that I should be getting back to my own affairs as well," Kibishii said as the last of the Queen's trailing gray kimono disappeared from their view. "Ryoko, I will be talking with you soon. For now, please try to forgive Ayeka. This entire thing is taking its toll hardest on her."

Ryoko nodded, trying to be agreeable. Kibishii then motioned for the guards to come forward again. In the last moment that they could share a private word Ryoko hissed, "Kibishii, why are you being so agreeable? So...kind?" Despite the friendship that she and Kibishii had, she'd expected him to be just as hostile. His compassion made her suspicious, even though she wished that it was genuine.

Kibishii looked contemplative for a moment, his ginger eyes focusing on her face. He then said, in an equally low voice. "It could be a lot of things. Maybe because I don't know you as well as Ayeka. Maybe my upbringing, or the fact that I was so busy I...I never really had the time to get close to Sasami." His voice was suddenly tinted with regret. "But Ryoko, before this, I had gotten an impression of you being a woman who is strong and brave. A woman who had put her polluted past behind her for the well being of herself and the ones she loves. I know you loved Sasami, and Ayeka. I think I show you this compassion because I don't want to believe that you would give all you have built for yourself away so easily."

Ryoko could feel teardrops on her lower eyelashes, ready to fall. She gave Kibishii a grateful smile. He felt like the only friend she had on the entire planet. Kibishii didn't smile back, but his eye's sparkled at her. He didn't look away.

"Captain." The stone-faced man came to attention, awaiting his orders. "Put Miss Masaki in cell block 5, post two guards outside her door at all times. Make sure she is fed a good meal twice a day. I WILL ask her about her treatment in the prison, so make sure she has nothing to complain about."

"Yes Sir!" The captain obviously didn't agree with his King's orders for Ryoko's treatment, but even after Kibishii had exited through the arched doorway he didn't make his complaints vocal.

Instead, the captain ordered his soldiers through another small door that was behind them. This one led them into another slightly larger hallway. It gradually got bigger until they were marching comfortably in a row of four and still had room.

Ryoko found it difficult to follow where they were going. Right. Left. Right. Right. Straight. Left again. She knew she would never be able to remember the twisting path to the door that they finally stopped at. It was simple, and brown, with a circular window at the top. The captain unlocked the door, and then Ryoko was promptly marched in.

The small room almost exactly matched her cell on the ship, with the exception of a comfier looking bed and the addition of a tiny desk to the drab furniture. Once inside, the captain sat her down on the bed.

"You won't be able to move for a bit after these are removed. If you are terribly uncomfortable in the position you fall in let me know." He then unlocked the cuffs around Ryoko's wrists. As they fell into the mans hand's, Ryoko felt a tingling pain spreading up her arms as if she was dipping them in extremely cold water. They fell heavily into her lap and she stared at them in alarm.

"Policy..." The captain said gruffly in explanation to the question she hadn't asked. "They put you in paralyses long enough for anyone in the room to get out. In case you get violent or something when you are un-cuffed."

Ryoko sneered at him, but said nothing. The tingling sensation was spreading down her back and she found that it was very hard to remain sitting and slumped down onto the bed, lying fully across it. After a moment she looked to the captain.

"I'm fine. You can leave." She felt silly dismissing her guard, and the captain obviously didn't like it either. But with nothing else to do, he left her on the bed, followed by his two minor officers. The doors locked silently as it shut.

Lying sedated on the bed was almost comforting. After a while, it felt as though even her brain was being numbed. She forgot her anger at Ayeka, and her gratitude to Kibishii and even her distress over Sasami. It was an ignorant bliss she fell into, and eventually she lay asleep on the cot, unaware of even her longing to wrap her arms around Tenchi and get away from it all.

-------------------- END CHAPTER 6

This chapter is dedicated to my editor...mommy –heartheart-


	7. The Revelation

I don't own Tenchi Muyo or any related characters ect ect. Plot IS mine though! No takies!

--------------------

Ryoko didn't wake up until mid-morning the next day. With a start she opened her eyes, sitting up. For a few minutes she was confused. She could have sworn that the cell she awoke to had only been part of her dream. But, much to her disappointment, everything was disgustingly real.

With something between a sigh and a moan, Ryoko fell back onto the bed. It was quiet, and in the first few moments of her consciousness she was already bored. After a while she got up and started to pace the cell. The entire time Ryoko kept her mind blank as possible. She was afraid of what would happen if she allowed herself to think about her current situation.

Ryoko quickly got bored of moving around and went to lay down again. How much time had passed since she'd woken up? 10 minutes? An hour? She fidgeted around on the bed and then sat up. She'd experienced solitude in the Dark Zone too, but had always been able to move further than the confine of her room. Across the room, the door of the cell opened.

A heavy-set woman in her late 40's entered the room, pushing a cart in front of her. Ryoko was almost overly happy to see her guest. It was the head maid in the palace, Mikio.

"Miss Masaki," the woman greeted her, unafraid. She tucked a bit of graying hair under the cap she wore and then took a tray off the top of the cart.

"This is you food Ryo- Miss Masaki," Mikio set the tray on the desk and then turned to look at Ryoko. She frowned. "You're a mess. Did the guards do that to you?"

Ryoko frowned as well. "Do what?"

Mikio's frown became deeper and she sighed. "I will send water for you to use with cleaning up and some fresh clothes. You are going to the first of several interrogations today, and want to look your best," she gave Ryoko one last look as she returned to the cart. "I'll send some bandages too, and cream for the bruises." She then left the room, pulling the cart behind her.

Ryoko sat for a moment on the edge of the bed, confused. Bandages? Cream for bruises? Why did she need those? Looking down at herself, Ryoko's eyes drifted over the dirty red skirt and tank top she was in, and up her bare arms, settling on purple marks on her skin. Confused, she looked at her other arm, finding the same marks in the same area. She touched the bruise, pressing her fingers gently against the discoloration. A dull throbbing started to trail up her arm.

Ryoko continued to look at the bruises, puzzled by them. It took her a little while to realize that they were from the guards that had been handling her the day before. In fact, both bruises were actually made of several smaller bruises, and circled around her arm. She hadn't realized how tightly they really had been holding her. So now she had the reason for the bruise cream. But the bandages? What were those for?

Once again, Ryoko started an inspection of her body, starting from her toes and working upwards. She searched all visible spots for something that Mikio could have seen, but found nothing. Then, on an impulse, she reached up and touched her forehead. Ryoko's fingers stroked the dried blood there. On the space ship! She'd fallen and hit her head. Once again she was shocked she hadn't realized it sooner.

Ryoko ran her fingers across her face, following the trail of crusted blood from a gash below her hair line to where it had dripped across her eye and cheek and ended on her chin. The trails of blood also explained Lord Kibishii commenting on the guards being rough with Ryoko. She rubbed the heel of her palm against the crusted blood, trying to get it off.

When the supplies for Ryoko were delivered she instantly went to work on her face and arms. Pulling a shallow tray of water towards her, she looked down into the liquid. The face reflected back didn't look like her. The crusted blood looked a lot worse than it really was, and her hair was dirty and limp. Her skin was pale, eyes staring.

"God...I really do look like a murderer," Ryoko murmured, almost afraid of herself.

_No you don't,_ a voice inside scolded. _You only look like a woman who is very confused._

With a sigh, Ryoko dipped her hands into the water and brought it up to her face, splashing herself with it. She then took a towel that had been delivered with the bowl and patted her face. She continued to do this, every so often inspecting her face in the reflection of the water.

It was a long process to clean up her appearance. The blood was stubborn coming off her skin, and the cut started to ache half way through. But, she ignored the pain and scrubbed at her face till it was clean. Once the blood was gone, bandaging the cut was easy; she'd bandaged wounds many times before. Then, she put the yellowish bruising cream on both her arms.

After this was completed, she attempted to give herself a sponge bath. Despite the water she sloshed across her floor, she did feel a bit cleaner once this was done. She had even brushed her teeth with some water and her finger and tried to comb out the tangle that was her hair with her fingers before re-braiding it.

Finally, Ryoko turned to the clothes that had sat un-touched since their arrival. It was a black kimono with a dark gray sash, made of a simple cloth and very plain. Ryoko stripped out of her skirt and shirt and left them in a little pile on the floor and then got into the kimono. After she was done, she took her clothes and folded them, placing them on the desk.

Ryoko sat down rigidly on the bed. Mikio had said that her first interrogation was today, which made her nervous. She'd pirated all over the galaxy and yet, had never had to face the charges. What made it worse was that she was being interrogated on something she hadn't done.

Ryoko sat unmoving in the quiet room until the guards came to get her. The cell door opened, and there was another new soldier outside her door.

"Masaki Ryoko," he said in his best authoritative voice. She got to her feet and went to the door. The soldier motioned her out, and once more she was handcuffed in the glowing shackles that she'd worn the day before. This seemed to be enough protection, for the guards didn't bother to hold on to her today. They walked with two in front of Ryoko and two in back silently down the hall.

Ryoko didn't attempt to talk to the guards, and they didn't say anything more to her. They lead her down a different path than the day before, and she never saw the room with the arched doorway. Instead, after another ever-twisting path through the halls, they ended up in front of a set of large golden doors, engraved with a Jurian life-tree. The commanding soldier went to a panel at the side of the door and placed his hand on it. He then stepped back and after a pause the doors opened silently.

The room inside was a surprise to Ryoko, not at all what she expected her interrogation room to be like. It was large, windowless, and decorated with portraits and vases of flowers. The ceiling was decorated with silks of the ever-present Juraian mourning colors. There was a long, wooden table in the center of the room with many high-backed chairs. One was displaced from the others on the other side of the table. Ryoko assumed this was where she was going to be sitting, and her suspicions were confirmed when the guards lead her to that chair and told her to sit. Then, they positioned themselves on either side of Ryoko.

Ryoko and the soldiers stayed in the room for a while without any disturbance. She only tried to talk to her guards once, and it ended up being very discouraging. The guards refused to look at her, and ignored her when she spoke. But, when ever she shifted in her seat, 4 sets of alert eyes snapped to where she sat. Eventually, this got annoying and she tried to stop moving all together.

It was almost a whole half an hour after Ryoko arrived until the golden doors opened again. This time a large procession of guards and obviously important Juraians filed in. In the front were Lord Kibishii and Lady Ayeka, looking solemn and composed. Behind them were a young man and an older, squat man followed by a very pretty female carrying a lot of paper. Behind her came more guards. Once they were all in the room the golden doors shut again. The guards dispersed themselves around the room, and the Juraians went to the seats across from Ryoko and stood in front of them. They waited until Ryoko was half-dragged to her feet and forced to bow before they sat down themselves. Only then was Ryoko allowed to sit down again.

Despite the pleasant decor of the room the 5 high Juraians, even Kibishii, looked very serious. As they settled, Ryoko observed each other the 5 people in front of her.

Kibishii and Ayeka sat directly across from her. Both were dressed in kimonos of dark blue, embroidered in light silvery-gray. They also both wore elaborate silver crowns that circled around their foreheads and then pointed down, framing their faces. Ryoko looked at Ayeka the longest, trying to catch her eye but unsure of what she would do if she was able to. But, Ayeka refused to look at Ryoko. She was obviously uncomfortable about being there and kept in conversation with the woman, who sat at her left.

The woman was tall and full figured. She was pale, with dark crimson hair that was tied back into a loose ponytail and dark brown eyes hidden behind her square glasses. She seemed to be a generally nervous woman, blinking a lot and playing with loose strands of hair. Ryoko eyed the papers in front of the woman and figured that she was a scribe of some sort, and was there to take notes about what happened in the room.

The two men who sat at Kibishii's right seemed to be interrogators. Ryoko seriously doubted she had a lawyer. In fact, she wasn't sure if Jurai had lawyers. The man sitting nearest Kibishii was the older of the two. He was heavyset and short with a large bushy beard and no hair on the top of his head. He had tiny, sharp eyes and a deep rumble of a voice as he turned to speak to his associate. His fingers were covered in sparkling rings.

The other man and the youngest of all the assembled Juraians was the opposite of his superior. He was slim with a mop of pale orange hair and a smooth face. His eyes were a watery green and very wide. He seemed very dreamy and careless, and when he replied to the older man his voice was soft and wispy.

After a few moments of settling, the Juraians turned to look at Ryoko, finally acknowledging her. The three whom Ryoko had never met looked at her with interest and each seemed to have an expectation of her. Ayeka stared down at her clasped hands. Kibishii seemed to be gathering his thoughts. The silence was suffocating. Finally though, Kibishii looked her in the eye.

"Masaki Ryoko," he said, in something of a court-trained drawl. "You are here today on the first of many interrogations which will last until your trial. Present on the council along with myself today are Lady Ayeka, and Lady Himiko to her left. On my right are Lord Ikuji and Sir Kakusu." Kibishii paused for a moment, and then continued. "Do you know of the crimes of which you are charged today?"

Ryoko looked down the row of Jurians. The three men were watching her expectantly. The woman on Ayeka's left, Himiko, was stooped over her stack of paper with a pen in hand, and poised to write down what ever Ryoko said. Ayeka was looking at her for the first time since her arrival, her thoughts unreadable past her discomfort.

"I...I suppose so," Ryoko said finally, forcing herself to look away from Ayeka and into Kibishii's face.

Almost before she had finished speaking Lord Ikuji said, rather harshly, "It is a simple 'Yes' or 'No' question Masaki. Do you, or do you not know?"

"Just saying 'yes' or 'no' will work," Kakusu said airily, lacing his fingers together. Ryoko looked between the two of them, unsure of what to think of the duo.

"I...I don't know then. No." Ikuji blinked, this obviously not being the answer he'd been expecting. Beside him, Kakusu allowed himself a small smile and sat back in his seat, looking almost amused.

"You, Masaki Ryoko, are charged with one count of assault, four counts of breaking and entering and one count of first degree murder." This came from Himiko, and Ryoko was surprised when the woman's voice was much deeper than expected.

"How do you plead?" Kibishii asked.

"Not guilty."

Himiko paused in her note-taking for the briefest moment before continuing. Ayeka's mouth was twisted in a sour look of disbelief and anger. Only her years of royal education kept her quiet, and she lowered her crimson eyes to the table edge.

"Not guilty?" Kibishii echoed. Ryoko nodded.

"Ryoko, do you know who this is?" Kibishii was handed a picture from Himiko and he displayed it for her to see. It was a photograph of Kibishii, Ayeka, and Sasami at one of the more recent Juraian functions, and he pointed at the younger of the two women pictured.

"That's Lady Sasami," Ryoko confirmed, a bit confused.

"And you deny causing her bodily pain of any sort?"

"Well, I wouldn't say I've never hurt her..." All eyes focused onto Ryoko, expecting a confession of some sort. "I probably pinched her while I was on Earth...or dropped a plate on her toe or something. But, I never seriously tried to hurt her."

Was it just her, or had Kakusu just laughed? He received a sharp glare from Ikuji. On Kibishii's other side Ayeka looked furious.

"I haven't seen Sasami since the last time I left for the Dark Zone," Ryoko added, trying to be as agreeable as possible.

Kibishii shifted around in his chair before sitting back. He looked very tired. Sighing he looked over at Ayeka and took her hand. He then continued the interrogation.

Hours passed as Ryoko was questioned. Most of it was done by Kibishii, though everyone but Ayeka spoke when there was need for. Ryoko tried to answer as slowly and clearly as possible, so her words couldn't be misinterpreted or twisted.

After what seemed to be Kibishii's final question, the council sat in silence with the exception of Himiko's pen, which scratched across her paper. Ryoko shifted a bit and wiggled her toes. Her legs were cramping. Across from her Ayeka brushed her bangs out of her eyes and glanced quickly across the table at her. Her face was solemn, and for once she didn't seem mad. Next to her, Kibishii cleared his throat and stood.

"Very well, on to the next interrogation." The rest of the council members stood when Kibishii said this, and Ryoko was hauled to her protesting feet by the guards at her sides. The golden doors opened once more, and the procession of Jurians, followed by Ryoko and then the numerous soldiers, exited the room in silence.

Once more they walked through the maze of palace halls. This time, Ryoko didn't even bother to watch where she was going. Both her feet had fallen asleep and she was trying not to sprain an ankle, since both of them were practically dead.

This time, the twisting passages lead to another large golden door. They stood in front of the doors for a long while before they creaked open. Beams of light spilled into the hall, and Ryoko craned her head to see past into the room they were leading her into. But, the guards who held her up on her numbed feet weren't letting her see very much and she eventually gave up.

It was when Kibishii and Ayeka were announced to the sounds of cheering that Ryoko suddenly realized what was happening. One by one after the royal family, Himiko, Kakusu, and Ikuji were announced. Then she was lead through the door and found herself standing in a room very different from the one she had just come from.

She now found herself standing in front of a crowd. They were all obviously of high influence, and all of their eyes fixed on her, a rainbow of feelings expressed towards her the second they entered the room. The one emotion she saw the most though was malice, which didn't comfort her much. The council from the first interrogation was seated at what looked like a Japanese traditional table in the center of the room. It was low, and there were cushions on the floor. The rest of the room though, didn't look much like traditional Japanese. Though still as nicely decorated as the last room, this one had high windows that let in blinding amounts of light, and pillars all around the room to hold up the extremely high ceiling.

The guards lead Ryoko over to the table and forced her to sit. She was just barely was able to tuck her legs under her in the traditional way. She glanced around the room nervously. So many people were watching. Someone could crack under these circumstances. Ryoko almost smiled. Of course, that is what they were trying to get her to do! Slip up under the watchful eyes of at least 100 Juraians.

Across the table Kibishii looked toward her, and she saw friendly concern in his eyes, though his expression was bland. "Masaki Ryoko, you are here today on the second of many interrogations which will last until your trial. Present on the council along with myself today are Lady Ayeka, and Lady Himiko to her left. On my right are Lord Ikuji and Sir Kakusu, as well as those who observe." Just like the interrogation before, he paused for a moment. "Do you know of the crimes of which you are charged today?"

This interrogation was quicker than the first one. Since the questions had already been asked, Ryoko knew what to say and this sped up the entire ordeal. Once the final question was asked of her and she'd echoed her answer, the council didn't wait around, but she was pulled again to her feet, forced to bow, and escorted from the room. What ever was discussed after that was obviously not for her ears.

Ryoko was returned to cell block 5, where the handcuffs were removed and she fell into a deep sleep on the bed. After a few hours of dreamless sleep she woke up. As she sat up her stomach grumbled loudly and she covered it with her hands. She realized that the meal that she'd been given that morning had been left untouched, and that she hadn't eaten the meal before that on the ship. Again her stomach rumbled. As if on cue, the door opened and Mikio entered the room with a tray of food and a blanket. She left both of these on the desk without a word and then exited.

Ryoko stumbled to the table and sat down. She ate ravenously. Everything tasted wonderful to her, from the bitter tea to the chunky stew. She didn't leave a single bit of the meal, and she returned to her bed with the blanket feeling uncomfortably full. Lying down on the cot, Ryoko tucked the blanket around her and fell asleep again.

In the morning she was woken up by Mikio, who had delivered her meal once more. The old woman told her that the third interrogation was that morning, and offered Ryoko a new kimono to change into before she let her start on the food. After she was done, she was once more escorted to the interrogation room, and then after being interrogated for a few hours had to repeat it again in front of the spectators. Once the questioning was over, she'd be returned to her room for food and an exhausted sleep.

This was Ryoko's routine for the next few days. She could tell that the Juraian council became more frustrated with her and the lack of new information with each interrogation. The atmosphere became more and more tense; even Kibishii and Kakusu seemed affected by it. That's why she wasn't surprised when after the fifth morning of interrogation she'd attended, Kibishii stood up to speak to the commission.

"Esteemed council members," he began with a slight bow. "Today marks the last of our interrogations for a while. I am well aware that each of us has duties besides this one, and I have decided, as the assembly's head, that starting today we will break for one week's time. Hopefully this time will allow us rest, and time to view our...positions on this matter." His eyes shifted to Ryoko and she looked away.

This time, when the council dispersed, she stayed in the room. She'd tried to get up only to be pushed back into her seat roughly.

"Stay," the guard commanded. "Someone would like to speak to you." Ryoko's heart leapt. Maybe Ayeka wanted to talk? Maybe she'd finally gotten the Queen to believe her story. But, a bit to her disappointment, the doors opened and Kibishii stood there instead.

"Ryoko," he said almost tenderly. "How have you been?" The friendliness of his entire aura almost made her want to cry. She'd been surrounded by blank, uncompassionate faces since she'd gotten there. Not that she'd expected anything else, but it was hard to deal with. Even friends like Mikio refused to talk to her more than needed. But now, Kibishii stood in front of her smiling gently. He returned to his seat across the table and sat down in it with a sigh.

"Has everyone been treating you right?"

Ryoko nodded, giving a grateful smile. "It's been lonely, but I've been treated fine." She motioned to the healing cut on her forehead almost as if it was proof of the statement. Her bruises too were fading. They were now only yellowish blotches under her kimono sleeves. Kibishii nodded sympathetically, and leaned forward to rest his elbows on the table.

"Yes, well, the guards and servants are under orders not to talk to you. But I am glad that you are being treated well."

"Yea, I'm not in my cell much anyway, with exception to sleeping and meals. All my other time has been with the interrogations."

"That'll change for a while though," Kibishii told her. "Everyone involved in the case, even you, needs a break. I am sure that many of the council members expected this to be over a lot quicker..."

Ryoko made a noise of agreement. "I was kind of cocky when I was a space pirate..." she admitted. "Perhaps they thought that I would brag about it?" Kibishii looked like he was about to laugh, but held it back.

"Yes, well, whatever the reason you will have some time to yourself for the next week. Will you need something to keep you entertained? I suppose those cells can be pretty lonely."

"That would be nice. Thank you."

The two of them were silent for a moment more, until Kibishii finally stood. Ryoko stood up moments after, startling the guards around her so that they grabbed for her arms rather roughly. She winced as a hand closed around her bruised arm, but then attempted to smile at Kibishii, as if to say 'I'll be OK.' Kibishii stared at her for a moment, and then gave her a small smile.

"Do not hesitate to contact me Ryoko, if you find you are being mistreated. We shall have this entire ordeal sorted out soon." He then nodded to her, and she bowed in return, watching as he left the room and the doors shut. She waited, still standing with the guards for a little while more before they left the interrogation room to return to cell block 5.

Once Ryoko was safely in the little room, her handcuffs were taken off and she fell asleep as she normally did. She didn't sleep as long or as well after that though. Only two or so hours later she opened her eyes to a still bright room. The sound of the door clicking shut had woken her up. Gazing groggily around the room, she spotted several things on the desk.

Getting up, she stumbled to the desk and leaned on the edge. Sitting nearest, washed and mended was her red skirt and tank top. She picked them up and smelled the scent of soap on them. Also on the desk were a light meal and a book.

After changing out of the stiff kimono she'd been wearing and back into her own worn-soft clothes, Ryoko sat down to nibble at the food. She was mostly interested in the book though. It was very thick, made up of several stories combined into one volume. Immersed in the book, she eventually returned to her cot and lay there reading until she fell asleep with the book on her chest.

She slept pleasantly, the first time since her arrival in the cell. Her dreams were gentle and nostalgic, blurred at the edges. She kept on seeing memories of her times on earth, perfectly normal times. Not all of them were good. She got the quickest flash of when she turned to see Tenchi and Sakuya kissing under the moonlight. But it was gone as quickly as it had come and Ryoko found herself comforted by even the painful memories.

Finally, her dreams turned to more recent events. Getting her diploma, feasts at the Juraian royal table, sitting in her window and watching the gentle glow of the sole star in the dark zone. She could also see Sasami, waving to her as she boarded her ship that final time they'd seen each other. Sasami had waved until she'd disappeared from Ryoko's view and she had watched even past then, until they'd lurched out of the atmosphere.

But suddenly, she swayed. She found herself being shaken around almost painfully and her eyes flew open. Her cell was totally dark. But was it her cell? She realized with a bit of a shock that she didn't know where she was, who she was with, or how she had gotten there. Struggling pathetically in her still confused state Ryoko realized she was bound tighter than she had ever been so far. Her arms were tied closely to her sides and her mouth covered crudely with a bandana. Looking around she could only see burly soldiers dressed in non-descript clothes. The hall added confusion. The walls were not polished but crudely cut and darker than the stones of the palace she knew.

Unable to ask questions or protest much Ryoko was brought deeper into the halls until they reached a plain but rather large wooden door. One of the guards opened it and she found herself in a windowless room, so dark it was almost impossible to see. She expected to be left in the room, but instead she was lead to a chair in the center of the room and forced to sit. Her hands were tied behind her back, and the gag was removed. It only took Ryoko a moment to regain her composure and then she was firing questions at the men around her. Each of them went unanswered.

After she was securely tied into the chair, the guards left. For a moment she thought she was alone. Looking around and listening to the silence, Ryoko noticed dark shadows around her, and heard low breathing in the darkness which sent shudders up her spine.

"Who's there?" Two of the shadows in front of her moved and she found herself looking into the faces of Kakusu and Ikuji. Ryoko choked on the breath she was taking in and stared in shock.

"Hello Ryoko," Kakusu said with a smile, brushing some orange hair away from his eyes. Ikuji was like a constant frown standing next to him.

"No Hello? Very well," Kakusu walked forward and circled her under a scrutinizing eye. Ryoko met his gaze with her own, defiant against the amusement in his eyes. Despite her boldness, she shivered with the anxiety that the new turn in her situation had brought. Kakusu noticed her tremor and gave a smile to Ikuji, who didn't respond.

Ryoko finally seemed to find her voice. "What is going on here?"

"You are here for further investigation."

"The council is on break," Ryoko pointed out.

"Ah, yes. But this has not been ordered by the council," Kakusu said with a smile. Ikuji stepped forward and they were suddenly bearing down on her from both sides.

"We have questions for you," Ikuji said finally.

"Questions the council won't ask," Kakusu added with a sadistic grin on his face.

Ryoko looked between the two, eyes wide. Someone outside of the council ordered this? Her mind raced and a name came forward almost instantly. She shook her head slowly, but it seemed to be the only person she'd suspect of it.

"Is Ayeka making you do this?" she asked, feeling more certain per second. She seemed to be the only person so far who had both the power and the reason to privately interrogate her. But something about the smile on Kakusu's face and the look in Ikuji's eyes suggested otherwise.

There was a period of silence when they only looked at each other. Ryoko felt her nerve shrink under their stare. But then she noticed a shifting shadow behind the figures. Looking past them into the darkness she strained her eyes to see something. Kakusu and Ikuji turned to look too, but their eyes seemed to be focusing on something she couldn't see.

"First question," a voice in front of her said. Ryoko looked harder into the obscurity, leaning against her binds. The voice sounded familiar, but there was something about it that didn't match to the voice of any person she knew.

"Do you recognize this?" There was the shuffling of footsteps coming closer. Ryoko could almost see an outline. But then something to her right flickered on. Turning she saw it was a small screen with the image of a spaceship on it.

_Yagami._ She recognized the ship instantly. It was Kiyone's. She slowly turned to look once more at the figure. A frown was her only reply.

Ikuji growled and swung his hand at her knocking her in the forehead. She yelped, more from shock than pain, and then turned to glare at him.

"Stop that! I will report you both to Kibishii!"

Kakusu laughed. But someone other than Ikuji was laughing with him. A shudder ran up Ryoko's spine and she looked into the darkness again. The figure stepped forward.

"K-Kibishii?" Ryoko murmured, shocked. Was this even the King she knew? He seemed to hold himself differently and his smile was cruel. But it was unmistakably him.

"Hello Ryoko." Even his voice sounded different. It was stern and nastily amused. The King stepped forward, menacingly. He didn't look away and didn't blink. His eyes were almost like lasers burning into her. "Now I ask you again, do you recognize this ship?"

Ryoko looked to the screen he was pointing at and then turned her head away with her nose up in the air, remaining silent. Ikuji's hand came down at her face again, striking her hard on her cheek.

"If you just answer he won't hit you." Kakusu said softly. He sounded genuine but when Ryoko turned to look at him she saw that the amusement was still in his eyes. She shook her head.

"Ryoko," Kibishii said his voice dangerously quiet. "These aren't hard questions. Now tell us. Who knows you're here?"

"Why did a space-travel ship follow the course of our own fleet in less than a 24 hour period?" Ikuji added.

"Were there any other beings at that location who could achieve space travel at that location?" Kakusu inquired, interested.

Ryoko stared up at all of them, her eyes narrowed. "I won't tell you anything!"

Ikuji raised his hand again, but Kibishii stopped him with a motion. He then gave Ryoko a very serious look and leaned forward, close enough so she could feel his breath against her face. "Your defiance is not helping this situation. And the longer you refuse to cooperate, the worse your situation will become. The people of Jurai are already calling for punishment in revenge for Sasami. When they hear of something like Mikio found clinging to life in your cell _no one_ will question the punishment I give."

Ryoko paled, unable to keep herself from imagining Mikio lying bloody on the floor of cell block 5. Would they really do that just to get her to talk?

"I will give you 24 hours to reconsider Ryoko. If you do not start helping us we shall find out about that ship on our own. And then there will be much more dire consequences on what we find." Kibishii's final words hung in the air as he turned and exited the room. After a moment two guards entered and untied Ryoko from her chair and then lead her out. They lead her down the hall to the next door, a large rough wooden one. Another guard was waiting there and he opened the door for Ryoko.

She was led into a short hallway with 4 barred cells, 2 on each side. They put her in the second cell on the left, locking the door and then activating a force field around the primitive cell with a hand pad that was glowing by her door. She was then left in the room alone, and silent. The only light, shining from the hand console, sparkled against the tears that ran silently down her cheeks.

-------------------- END CHAPTER 7


	8. The Memories

I don't own Tenchi Muyo or any related characters ect ect. Plot IS mine though! No takies!

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Tenchi tossed and turned in his bed. With a start he opened his eyes, staring at the ceiling. He'd been having a difficult time sleeping on their journey, no matter how exhausted he got. With a sigh that was barely audible he closed his eyes again and breathed deeply, trying to calm his ever buzzing mind.

He lay silent for a moment, listening to the noise of the space ship, before sitting up and heaving himself out of bed. He was in for another night of lost sleep and staring out the window. Still in his pajamas, long hair tousled and knotted from his restlessness, he left his room, ambling down the hall without destination. Compared to his dark room, the white light of the windowless hallway was blinding. He squinted, eyes watering.

Most nights, he'd go sit in the ship's living area on one of its worn couches. He enjoyed looking out of the large window in the room, watching as the tiny pinpricks of stars far away trailed through his vision. But Washu had recently discovered this new night time habit, and for the past few nights someone was always in the room when he'd entered. He was sure that his friends were worried, but he couldn't help himself. He'd tried going back to sleep, but staring at the ceiling until he did made him antsy and didn't work nearly as well as a late-night wanderings.

Tenchi continued to walk in silence down the hallway. His feet were leading him somewhere that his mind wasn't considering. To him, it didn't matter where he ended up, as long as he was alone while he was there. He'd found his greatest comfort recently in being alone. Not that he shunned the company of the others. He truly enjoyed them being there, together. It was more that he knew that since they'd started out he'd been a drag to talk to, and he often got into fights with the others. He didn't mean to, but since Ryoko had been taken, his fuse seemed to have shortened significantly. He wasn't himself at all, and it must be bad if even he noticed it himself.

Most of the bickers had been about the speed of their journey towards Jurai. He was often vocal about their insanely slow pace. He'd gotten into several small bickers with Washu and Kiyone. They'd never gotten far, and he was always quick to apologize, but they _had_ made the atmosphere on the ship tense recently. From the moment he'd woken up in Washu's lab he'd wanted to follow and get Ryoko back as quickly as possible. But, this was not part of the agenda that they were following under Washu and Kiyone's leadership.

"We can't just rush into the situation!" Kiyone had stressed, as she did every time he'd brought up the subject of increasing their pace a little. "Mihoshi and I aren't even supposed to be in the Juraian sector! So our reason to be there needs to seem as unimportant as possible; especially during this time of general suspicion within Jurai."

"She's right Tenchi," Washu had added from her seat on Tenchi's other side. "As much as we all _want_ to rush to Jurai, our one tiny ship can't take on the Juraian fleet. And do we _really_ want to storm in making allegations about the royals of Jurai?"

Tenchi sighed loudly, snapping out of his thoughts. They were right; they couldn't rush recklessly into the situation. As much as he wanted to, he had no plan past actually getting to Jurai.

Tenchi looked up and around the hall. He didn't recognize where he was at all, which gave him a pleasant shock. He was sure he'd been all over the ship and down every passage at least once. Tenchi looked behind him, only seeing door-less walls, that curved around a bend and out of sight. Ahead of him was only more of the hallway which also disappeared around a curve. He stood for a moment, looking around. Then, he decided to continue down the hall the way he'd been headed. Perhaps he'd find a new room to occupy his time in.

The prospect of a new place on the ship to explore shook some of his mood off and he continued feeling better than he'd felt in a while. Turning along with the hallway, Tenchi found that at the end of this corridor was only a nondescript metal door. He knew he'd never been this way before for a fact now. The rest of the doors on the ship were a single metal door that slid to the side, but this one was two metal panels.

He approached the door cautiously, and stood before it waiting for it to open. After several moments though, nothing had happened. A hand consol on the wall caught his attention, and Tenchi put his hand on it. He didn't expect anything to happen, but he felt the warmth of sensors reading his palm-print and then an affirmative beep sounded and the door opened (much to his surprise).

Inside was a room he instantly recognized. It was the control room of the ship. Tenchi was surprised he hadn't recognized the way before, since on other trips on the ship he'd occupied the room a lot. He stepped in, almost cautiously, looking for a pilot. But no one was in the room except himself. He took a few more cautious steps forward, alert.

"Hello?"

No one answered him, and he approached the captain's chair to find it empty. A bit of his anxiety eased and he walked around the room more freely. There was really nothing interesting about the room, and since he didn't know what the buttons and levers did, Tenchi didn't bother trying anything. After a brief look around, he decided it was time to leave, and went for the door.

But, before he could leave, a screen caught his eye. On it a window was blinking, and read 'translation complete, press to continue'. Behind the window though, was what had really grabbed his attention. It was a picture of Ryoko, several years younger, dressed in her space-pirate uniform with a devilish grin on her face. Despite there being no one else in the room, Tenchi looked left and right guiltily, and then pressed the blinking red button on the side of the screen.

Much to his surprise, the article had been translated from (what he assumed had been) Juraian, to Japanese. He skimmed the article, and suddenly felt quite sick, leaning forward to brace himself against the control panel in front of him. To his left the doors to the room opened and Kiyone stood there, a steaming mug in her hand. She looked from Tenchi to the screen and back and her expression changed to apparent distress. Tenchi didn't bother to look at all.

"You read it?" she asked him, though she obviously knew the answer. Tenchi nodded anyway, unable to pull his eyes from the screen. There was a lump in his throat, and a foul taste in his mouth.

"You...you better come with me then." Looking paler than usual Kiyone turned and went back down the hall. After a moment Tenchi followed her. Kiyone lead them to the ship's living area, the door sliding open to show that Mihoshi and Washu were there, and up at that late hour. They were both seated on the purple couch by the window, and neither looked surprised to see Tenchi or Kiyone. Mihoshi though, was looking close to tears.

"Come sit Tenchi," Washu beckoned with none of her normal cheeriness. She motioned to the chair across from where she was sitting. Tenchi sat there awkwardly, Kiyone taking the seat next to him. There was silence for a moment, as Tenchi gathered his thoughts. Everyone seemed to be waiting for him to speak first.

"Was that news article true?" he finally said, as he collected his thoughts. Tenchi looked up and around at everyone. "About Ryoko attacking that maid that was delivering food to her? Do you really think she'd do that?"

Washu fixed him with a steady gaze. "Do you think she did?"

"No." There was a certain finality that he said that single word with, that hung in the silence following. Washu and Kiyone looked at each other, their expressions set.

"I guess there is only one thing left to do then," Washu said, turning brilliantly green eyes to Tenchi. "It is time for us to take up the offensive."

Tenchi's breath caught in his throat and he looked incredulously at Washu. He wasn't sure what to say, but he was feeling empowered. All the agitation he'd been feeling was finally finding a form, and a place to go.

"First thing we have to do is speed our pace up," Washu told the assembled, though her eyes were fixed on Tenchi. "We also need to get a better understanding of the situation on Jurai."

"How'll we do that?" Mihoshi asked, her voice still wavering slightly.

"By finding everything recent we can on Lord Kibishii, Lady Ayeka," Washu started, listing each off on her fingers. "Any other political conflicts going on right now, the situation and method surrounding Sasami's death..."

They were all silent for a moment, staring at each other from across the coffee table. Then Kiyone cleared her throat and looked around.

"Well, sitting around won't get us anywhere," she stated briskly, standing up. "I'm going to the control room to speed us up a bit, OK?" She looked directly at Tenchi when she asked this, her blue eyes fixed solemnly on his.

"OK..." he told her back, with a slight nod. His tone was serious, and ready for business. He watched Kiyone leave with hope in his heart, and as the conversation continued between Mihoshi and Washu, he felt his heart lighten considerably. As the stars outside the window started to speed past faster, his spirit lifted even more.

Looking at Mihoshi and Washu, Tenchi smiled slightly. It was his turn to help. It was embarrassing to him to realize after his boost of morale that he'd been very sulky, and of no help to them but to nag and sulk. What had happened to him to do that?

"Guys, I am going to go to bed now," Tenchi announced, as way of excusing himself. "Tomorrow, I'll start bright and early on gaining information." He beamed at them, running a hand through his hair, and then left.

But once back into his bedroom, Tenchi didn't fall to sleep right away. Crawling under his now cold covers, his mind stayed fixed on the mood that had previously gripped him. He was almost shocked at himself, and knew his father and grandfather (had the latter been alive still) would never have allowed him to wallow in self-pity like that. But why'd it happen?

Ryoko had gotten into trouble before. With a history like hers, it was no doubt hard to escape conflict entirely. But that had never happened to him before, with any of the girls. Through all dilemmas he'd remained confident and level-headed. Why had this, of all the things that could have gotten to him, become so big in his mind?

Quietly, his eyes strayed around the room with that thought churning in his mind. Why this time? Why Ryoko?

_Think about this logically,_ he told himself. _How does Ryoko being gone make you feel now?_

Taking a deep breath, he searched for that answer.

He felt lonely, and concerned, and distressed. But there had to be something else, something new that hadn't been there before.

His mind regressed to that first evening that Ryoko had been back. To that peaceful, single evening they'd shared. When he'd opened the door and seen her standing there, windswept and beautiful in the last rays of the sun, his heart had skipped a beat. It wasn't at all what he'd had expected to feel when he'd see her again. In his own awareness of the increase of his heart beat, he'd stumbled over the only word that could find its way to his lips.

"Ryoko?"

Color had filled his cheeks, and his emotions seemed to mirror that same sheepishness she'd been feeling. Even as he welcomed her in and the two had sat down for dinner, he'd felt awkward. More like the bumbling naïve teen he'd been when she'd left. College had changed him in many ways, but sitting by her, he'd never been at more of a loss for words before.

That night, at the dock, he'd spilled to her those insecurities; how he was afraid she'd become fragile, how he'd be too rough. He'd made her cry. Ryoko had always been tough, but now suddenly just his words could hurt her; it was a frightening contrast.

He didn't think his apology had been enough. For a terrifying moment he'd been certain that his innocent mistake had ruined everything. But Ryoko had said those words, tenderly, perfectly.

"I don't want to leave this again."

It was abruptly alright again, and he'd tightened his embrace around her with a single thought in his mind.

"_I don't want to leave this either."_

Falling back to reality, and to the quiet buzzing of the spaceship, those words remained in his mind. He said them aloud, to whoever was or was not listening.

"I don't want to leave this either." It suddenly made sense, and he was shocked by its simplicity. His skin became hot, and his mouth became dry.

"I'm in love with Ryoko..." To say it aloud sounded strange, and final. But it was at the same time comforting. He knew that he'd been hiding it from himself since Ryoko had left that one evening five years prior. He'd had five years to dwell over that first and seemingly final kiss. Five years to collect her photographs and place them in his room. Five years to ask of her whenever Mihoshi and Kiyone had visited.

Did everyone but him know? Extreme awareness of his foolishness welled up inside. Why, even Ryoko herself must have realized it before him. Tenchi's eyes drooped with sleepiness. Even Ryoko...

That night he dreamed of her smile, to wake up and realize it hadn't been the first time.

-------------------- END CHAPTER 8

a/n –

I. AM. SO. SORRY. I was mia for what? A year? I apologize ten fold! I just...couldn't get a hold of Tenchi's character/major writers block/I just really didn't want to stop the focus on Ryoko yet. But I felt I had to show what was going on with everyone else (more so on Tenchi), so I refused to save this for later chapters.

This chapter was extremely difficult for me to write, and also a lot shorter compared to recent chapters. It actually just sat around stagnating for a long time until just a few nights ago, when a revelation of what to do with this section happened:D

The next chapter goes back to Ryoko, but fear not! The plot thickens, and soon we'll be getting stuff from all sorts of POVs (ok...at the moment it's only 3...but still)! But that is all I'll say:X


	9. The Unexpected Twist

I don't own Tenchi Muyo or any related characters ect ect. Plot IS mine though! No takies!

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"Kibishii! Kibishii!"

Ryoko rattled the bars on her, their clanging the loudest and angriest yet. When she'd asked her guards to get him, they'd refused- flat out ignored her, in fact. Now, she'd been calling for what seemed to be hours, and her voice was finally giving out. But she refused to stop, and with each unanswered call her temper increased.

Ryoko cried out every Juraian curse word she knew, and gave the cell bars one final vicious rattle. Somewhere in the semi-darkness a guard laughed, and Ryoko spat in the direction of the noise with a sneer. The spit didn't pass any further than the bars though; hitting the force field the room lit up as blue veins of light crawled across the surface. The guard was visible for a flash, standing across and to the left of her. No doubt the cell was attached to her DNA in some way. Every time she'd tried to reach past it her hand had crashed into the faintly glowing wall, but the guards had been given no trouble when they reached through the bars to harass her.

With disgust she turned away from the bars and sat with her back to it on the dull wooden bench hanging from the wall. Hugging her knees she picked at a tiny hole in the wall with a nail, grimacing to herself. All attempts and methods to calm herself down were barely working; which is why when the main door to her prison block opened Ryoko trembled as she suppressed the urge to throw aside all dignity and run to the edge of the cell screaming and swearing. She listened to the heavy footsteps as they slowly approached her cell, smirking triumphantly when the footsteps stopped behind her.

"So, Ryoko, you've called?" She turned slowly, peering over her shoulder. Kibishii stood there, in twisted regal glory, shadowed by Ikuji and Kakusu who stood like watch dogs behind him. Ryoko turned to face them, standing and coming to the bars.

"Mikio," she started. "It hasn't been 24 hours yet, so why are your guards talking about her as if she is dead?"

"Because she is," Kibishii replied simply. He had an air as if he had been talking about the weather. Ryoko felt her eyes widen despite her attempt to mask her emotions.

"Dead?" she echoed. Quickly she tried to inject power back into her voice. "But, she..."

"She was more...fragile that we expected," Kakusu offered, with a little crooked smile. "One blow to the head was all it-"

"Stop!" Ryoko grabbed onto the cell bars, furiously glaring at them through them. "It wasn't 24 hours! You broke your word! You-"

"Ryoko, please," Kibishii sneered. "You're making a spectacle of yourself." Ryoko bit her lip, feeling her anger being replaced with resentment. The King continued, "Besides, we didn't need your help with that anymore. We have the information that we need. Which is the real reason we're here, actually."

"What?" Ryoko's mouth fell open slightly, and she stared at them, almost in disbelief. "You have the information and you killed her anyw-"

"That's an unimportant factor." Kibishii interrupted. "Now, please Ryoko, if you will."

He motioned to the bars of the cell, and one of the guards standing at attention to his side moved forward and placed his hand on the hand console on the wall. The force field on the bars flashed sparks and then suddenly lashed out like a whip, striking Ryoko. It didn't hurt, but she suddenly found her body oddly numb, and her knees crumbling out from under her. She couldn't speak. She could barely hear.

Hitting the ground with a thud, she stared forward, her entire body buzzing from the shock of the force field. The door to the cell opened, and once more shackles were placed around her wrists. These were unlike the others; simple metal bands that clicked into frail looking circles around her wrists. However, in her paralyze she could barely stand on her own feet, let alone pull against them. She once more was escorted with the help of guards, this time out of the cell, and down the hall to another simple wooden door.

Inside was only a table and several chairs, all of them with the lack of grandeur that this part of the Jurian palace seemed to obtain. Ryoko was sat in one of the chairs and left there by the guards who exited the room. Already the effect of the force fields shock was wearing off, her body covered with an uncomfortable buzzing. Kibishii sat across from her, and Ikuji remained standing behind him. Kakusu however, as if in mockery of Ryoko's state, took the seat next to her with a grin.

"The ship's name is Yagami, isn't it?" he asked, his expression all the more gleeful as Ryoko lowered her eyes, refusing to answer.

"We know who is on that ship Ryoko," Kibishii told her calmly. She didn't lift her eyes, but her heart started to beat faster and she listened to him. Listened as hard as she could.

"Three females, one male. I have the location they left from. The time…" he paused for a moment, and Ryoko knew he was watching her, looking to see if his words had managed to get under her skin yet. "I have their names Ryoko."

Shudders ran down her spine, but she wasn't sure if she'd moved noticeably. She finally gathered the effort needed and looked up and into the face of Kibishii, who seemed to be pleased and relaxed. They stared at each other for a moment, neither's expression changing. Ryoko knew this was a challenge, and tried to keep as blank as possible. But along with the feeling returning in her limbs came her anger from before, and her frustration, and everything else she'd kept in throughout the whole ideal. She couldn't give the men a single thing to use against her.

"Why are you bothering to tell me this?" she finally asked, her words coming slowly past her still tingling lips.

"Ah, yes, the 'bad guy' telling his secrets. I'd like to think I'm not that clichéd Ryoko." Kibishii told her with a laugh. "No, see, I need your assistance."

She said nothing. "You see," Kibishii continued, "In knowing their names, I also now know their history. And in knowing that, I know their relationship to my wife, and to Sasami, and most importantly...I know their relationships with you Ryoko."

"If they come here, my wife will let them come. I have no reason to stop them that will not confuse or concern her. And then they will tell her about you, and what ever other…heroic information to change the circumstances that they might have. So, I cannot have them here. And this is where you come in, Ryoko."

At this point Kibishii stood up, moving across the table to sit in the chair on the other side of Ryoko. When he spoke, he sounded like the King she'd used to know- kind, and sympathetic, and a man just trying to do his best. The tone sickened her. "Ryoko, I need you to go and convince them that they should not come."

"What makes you think they'll listen to me? They no doubt know that Sasami is dead, and that something is up. They've probably figured something is rotten with the whole situation."

"That man though," Ikuji spoke up gruffly. "The Masaki guy. He's your lover, right? Get him to tell them to go away."

Ryoko stared across the table wide eyed at Ikuji. Her face was flushing, she could tell. The harder she tried to stop it the hotter she felt her skin become.

"Ooh Looks like you hit a nerve there Ikuji," Kakusu chortled, his tone teasing. He then turned to look slyly at Ryoko. "I went a little in depth on him, since you share the same last name and all. I hope you don't mind." He said, waving his hand at her.

"So there you are Ryoko, you know what you have to do." Kibishii said, as if they'd all just decided on it together. "You need to keep them away. And this man is your key. Draw him out, and change his mind. Break his heart. Hurt him. Do whatever it takes to keep him and your friends out of this...ah, sticky situation."

Ryoko was quiet for a moment. "I... I can't..."

"You have to." Kibishii stood up, walking away from her. "He'll get hurt here Ryoko. He'll get killed."

"He's too strong to be hurt by you."

"Oh really?" The intrigue in Kibishii's voice sounded dangerous. "Ryoko, can you really not see that doing this for us is saving this Masaki more pain than you could ever cause him? If he comes here and I manage to get my hands on him, then there will be no end to the suffering I could cause."

"And how do you know I won't just leave with him when I see him?"

There was a pause, and Ryoko noticed Kakusu and Ikuji's eyes both briefly flick towards the form of Kibishii, standing with his back to all of them. Was this part of the delicate plan that even they had not been informed on?

"Because Ayeka will still be here," he said finally. He turned to look at them all then, and his eyes had lost their malicious playfulness, replaced now with a stony look of resolution. "Here is the deal Ryoko. You keep Masaki, and that ship from coming here, and Ayeka will be safe and I will make sure you get off free. If you don't come back, don't succeed in making them go away, or ever tell anyone about this, not only will Ayeka die, but I will make sure that death will be the fate of everyone and everything that has ever been dear to you. And after they are gone before your eyes, I will make sure that you die in the slowest and most antagonizing way possible."

After a moment of silence in the room, he laughed. "Do you doubt me, Ryoko? How do you think Sasami came to her most unfortunate end? She certainly couldn't keep _her_ secret." He walked towards her, aura menacing.

When he stood above Ryoko she didn't move. She was staring at her hands now, her lips tight and pale. How could he speak so casually of murder? If she had ever bragged about a death due to her own actions before then, during her space pirate days, it had only been to cover up the nagging voice of a conscious. But he seemed so casual with his words. Was he that good at lying? Or was he truly unaffected by Sasami's blood on his hands?

He sneered at her. "It isn't like I find her death taboo to speak of." His words jabbed right at her thoughts, hitting a stinging nerve. "Unfortunate, yes. But just business, as far as I'm concerned. Do not think your fate is anything else Ryoko." She turned suddenly cold. What was it about this man that made his words seem so inevitable?

"Do we have a deal Ryoko?"

How could he ask her to hurt those she loved? Even to protect them?

"Answer me."

In the end he was threatening her. In the end he was only using her to protect himself.

"Very well then Ryoko."

Why did she feel so cornered by this man? More so than anyone had ever made her feel before.

She looked up at the movement to her side, to find Kakusu over her, moving to unlock her shackled wrists. With a click they fell into her lap, settling on the dirty fabric. She looked up to see that the three men were leaving now, standing in the doorway of the room. Behind them were guards, standing with full attention.

"You'll be lead to your room now." Kibishii told her off handedly. "I trust you will not fight, and you will not run. You should know the result if you do. We'll fetch you tomorrow," with that the three of them left.

Ryoko sat there for a moment more, not entirely sure what had happened. She hadn't answered him. She was positive that she'd done nothing to show accenting to his plan. Kibishii was horridly certain in his control of her, to leave her like that. She could fight now, and run. But she looked over to the waiting guards, and knew they were in on it. How many more were? How quickly would a rebellion reach the King's ears? How much longer would his retribution take?

Standing on her own was almost foreign to her. Placing the handcuffs on the table, Ryoko took a few uncertain steps towards the door. With each one, she half expected to be jumped by the guards, to be stopped, to be questioned. But when she got to the door way one of the men there asked her in an almost cordial way to follow him.

Unsure of what else to do, she fell in step behind him. Two of the other men walked behind her, but they kept a respectable distance. The entire thing was surreal; she wasn't entirely sure what was happening.

They walked through the halls of rough stone, through doorways and into places she didn't recognize. But as they walked the condition and quality of where they went got better, until once more they walked in smooth decorated halls that Ryoko recognized to be the main level. At the end of one hallway they unlocked a simple door for her, and she found herself in a well-lit room, with a large bed, and a bathroom, and the curtains flowing gently in the breeze of an open window. Taking a few steps in she looked around, and then turned back to look at the guard.

"A bath has been drawn, and there are food and fresh clothes on the table." He then shut the door, and at the click there was the sound of the men walking away and then silence.

Ryoko went to the door, opening it and looking out. It wasn't locked, and no one was there. Pulling her head back in and shutting the door she then went to look at the food. It was all warm and fresh. Much to her shock, in a small porcelain pitcher was some type of sweet smelling Juraian alcohol. In a final attempt to find something unsatisfactory, she went into the bathroom and tested the water in the deep tub. It was clean and steaming hot.

Unsure of what to do, she went and sat on the bed. It sank under her weight, plush and welcoming. She was unguarded and well cared for. It didn't fit with how she'd been treated before then. The difference was eerie. Was the whole thing a bribe to make sure she would obey them? After consideration she knew it wasn't. Kibishii knew that he had her in such a place that there was little reason to keep her physically restricted. The restriction was all mental now.

Once more her thoughts returned to Kibishii's offer, his threat. If she let Tenchi and the others come, they would be hurt; killed even. If she left with them, he would kill Ayeka, and her friends. Her chest tightened at the thought. Was she really so cold hearted that she would risk the lives of her friends?

Ryoko stood with sudden passion, looking around the room. Years ago, she might have said yes. But now, there was too much at stake. It felt naïve, to trust all of Kibishii's promises. But there seemed to be no logical course. Somewhere deep in her heart, she had full knowledge that if Tenchi, if _anyone_, set foot onto Juraian soil, they would be hurt. If it could be prevented she'd do it.

With a rattling deep breath she went into the bathroom. Without hesitation she started stripping out of her dirtied clothes, letting them drop into a pile at her feet. She then kicked the pile into a corner, stepping into the water. It was hot enough to scald, but she lowered herself in quickly, wincing at the heat.

There was a slick brown bar of soap sitting in a corner, and she grabbed it up and started to scrub at her skin. She cleaned her entire body, even working suds into her long knotted hair and pulling at the tangles until her fingers ran through without meeting resistance.

When she was finally finished her skin was pink and raw. The water in the tub was a murky brown. When she couldn't find a towel she went into the bedroom and tore the top blanket off of the bed and started to dry herself with that instead. Ryoko found herself suddenly angry. How dare Kibishii use her against her own friends?

Plans started to rush through her head, each one more dangerous and illogical then the last. Storming the castle, taking on all the guards, somehow winning the day. Of course they could do it, they had done it before. How was this different then any other time they had risked their lives?

She let the blanket drop and went to the clothes on the table, putting on the simple off white pants and tunic. She then turned her attention to the meal. She was ravenous looking at the food in front of her, but her hand forwent the food and instead picked up the alcohol that sat there. She drank a few large mouthfuls of it, wrinkling her nose at the taste. It had been a very long time since she had gotten drunk, as it was irresponsible to do so being a captain. But now she downed the liquid with little regard to consequence.

She felt the first signs of delirium taking over her, which quickly turned into a rush. The room spun gently and her skin flushed red. Jurai was known for several of their strong liquors. This must have been one of them.

"You Juraians sure as hell know how to make your alcohol!" Ryoko cried out, spinning on the ball of her foot only to get tangled in the blankets still on the floor. As she stumbled the bottle fell from her hand, and went falling through the air in front of her. It hit the ground right before she did, shattering like glass. Her right palm, out to catch her, landed on the shards seconds later.

Ryoko stared. Perhaps it was the alcohol, but she couldn't feel what she was seeing. There was a pool of blood forming slowly under her hand. The strange euphoria was gone. Taking its place was emptiness, and a simmering shame under that. Lifting her hand she slowly turned it over. Pieces of the bottle fell from her hand, covered in blood and cracking more when they landed. On her hand were several small bleeding cuts; in heel of her palm a particularly large piece of glass was still stuck, puncturing the skin at least an inch. She moved her hand closer to stare, and the wound squirted blood weakly.

Though she still felt nothing, her hand was trembling as she pulled the shard from her palm, wincing in reaction to how much of the glass had been embedded in her flesh. She let it fall to the floor, and then crawled to her feet, and from there went to the bed. Sitting herself down, she bent over to grab the blanket that had tripped her off the floor. Shaking it feebly to get any shards that might have flown onto the fabric off, she wrapped a corner around her palm and squeezed.

What kind of person was she? Was she really so weak that instead of using her anger to form a plan out of everything, she just let herself get drunk? It was shameful. Using her unhurt hand she pulled some of the blanket up over her feet and closed her eyes.

Deep down, she knew why she felt angry; why she'd been so irresponsible. She felt backed into a corner by Kibishii's threats, and was acting out in response. No matter how she tumbled it in her mind, he had her twisted around his finger. If she'd been younger, more willing to take chances… maybe then the thought of risks, of fighting her way around this wouldn't have weighed as heavy on her as it did now. Years away from the violent space pirate life style had mellowed her out and given her a greater respect of life, and living.

Oh, how Ryoko wished she was still on Earth with Tenchi. Those few hours before the world had been turned upside down on her had been so amazing. She felt angry tears starting to burn in her eyes at how everything had been so swiftly pulled out from under her; at the unfairness of it all. If she had still been there, who knew where their relationship would have lead? To the places she used to imagine and dream about before everyone had left?

But now, even that would be gone. Ryoko opened moist eyes to look out the window of her room, and up at the darkened Juraian sky. The first few stars of twilight were just starting to twinkle. The Juraian sky looked so much like Earth's, and yet they were so far away.

In her heart, Ryoko knew what she had to do. Ayeka would never believe Ryoko if she tried to enlighten her on Kibishii's true self. She didn't even know what dangerous dealings Sasami had gotten herself into. How could she prove the king otherwise? He played the part of a grieved husband so well, as if he had a mask he could put on and off as he needed to. She seriously doubted Ayeka could be told. She would tell Kibishii, who would surely find some way to punish for that.

Of Tenchi and the others, their sense of Justice was too grand. Ayeka wasn't in immediate danger but they would still feel the need to rescue her from the king. If Ryoko showed up with stories of power abuse and royal plots they would surely get involved. If they did, Ayeka was in danger.

If there was another way to it, Ryoko couldn't see it. Kibishii had her feeling so trapped. It was as if he had indeed thought of every possible outcome and choice. The most painful thing was how he had Ayeka in his hand. If somehow she could show Ayeka the true Kibishii, she was sure that Ayeka would help. Ryoko closed her eyes once more, turning her face down towards the bed.

Ayeka wouldn't help her. Bitter at the thought of Ryoko being behind Sasami's death, the queen had barely spoken to her since her arrival. So she would go about it as Kibishii had asked. If nothing else, she would assure the others momentary safety. Her heart twinged.

Could she really send Tenchi away? She reached out carefully, to brush her fingers against the red stone she wore. Tenchi had done much for her. As much as it hurt she knew that in the end keeping him out of this, away from it, was all she could do.

Selfish or selfless? She wasn't entirely sure anymore.

The next thing she knew, pale early morning sunlight was streaming through the gaps in the curtain. Lifting her head, she found that during the night she'd been moved and covered with a new blanket. The broken glass had been swept away, and a fresh platter of food had replaced the one untouched from the night before. Even her hand had been tended to and carefully bandaged.

She got warily out of bed and sat at the table. Carefully she ate some of the rice and soup in the small bowls before her, trying to combat the aching remnants of the hangover she'd mostly slept off. Her body felt numb. Today was the day.

When she couldn't stomach any more food she pushed the tray away and sat solemnly with her hands in her lap. Time crept by slowly, and the light out her window brightened. With it came the sound of movement within the castle. For everyone else it was just another morning on Jurai. For her, the start of an enormous task.

At the knock on the door Ryoko stood, and went to open it. Kakusu stood there, a grin playing over his face. Behind him were several guards.

"We've come to gather you, m'lady," he said in a way that was almost mocking. There was a look in his eyes, a type of sadistic playfulness. He held out his hands and cupped in each was a handcuff with the ratchet open.

"Wrists please."

Ryoko stared at him for a moment, face blank. Her stomach writhed as she placed her hands out and let him close the two halves over her wrists. There was a thin chain between the two cuffs, and she realized that they were just for show. She was to play the part of escaped prisoner.

Even though the handcuffs had been fastened, Kakusu hadn't removed his hands from around her wrists. He leaned towards her, using his hold on her to pull them close together. As much as Ryoko wanted to lean away from his face, one she was coming to hate, she couldn't with his grasp so tight. His eyes and expression, normally so careless, had gained a tint of something much more serious.

"You will be placed in a self piloting shuttle that will lead you to a small abandoned Juraian space port near one of our outer orbiting moons. We have calculated the speed of your vessel so that you will be close enough to your friend's ship to have them answer your distress call. Somehow get your man off the ship and convince him to bring them back to the Earth Quadrant. Once you've done that, return to the ship and it will bring you back here. Clear?"

Ryoko nodded, anything to get her away from his face, and tugged back slightly. But Kakusu tightened his grip and pulled her closer still in reply. His breath was hot on her face, and smelled of something smoky and sickly sweet. She turned her face away as best as possible and closed her eyes.

"I do not envy you if you fail this Ryoko Masaki," he whispered. "The futures of quite a few lives are balanced on your actions today." Finally he let her go, and she pulled away and took a step back with a look of disgust at him. He was simply smiling, hands behind his back.

"And as a final memo," he began, "The First Queen Ayeka will be spending the entire day in the countryside with Kibishii and Ikuji. If I catch word of anything going wrong on your side, I cannot promise her safety. So no mistakes." He wagged a finger at her as if scolding a child, and then left with two of the guards who had been standing behind him.

Another man stepped forward, and motioned down the hall in the same direction. "Follow me please."

Ryoko took the first tentative step forward, feeling sicker then when she'd woken up in the aftermath of Kakusu's speech. She wanted to just collapse onto the floor and scream. But there was a strange numbness overtaking her body at the same time. A resolve for what had been set before her.

The shuttle was waiting for her in a private empty bay, that looked to house small private use shuttles for the Royal family. The door was open and waiting and with a heavy heart she the walked up into the craft, turning to watch the door close. With the final click of the door and the sound of the airlock she was alone, and took the pilots seat as the shuttle navigated itself out of the palace and into orbit.

She closed her eyes, until the shaking of the ship as it exited the atmosphere stopped, and then opened them to see the view screen was on. The vastness of space and stars filled her eyes. The sight had once made her lonely, and then once upon a time had brought her great joy. But now the twinkling stars only reminded her of her purpose to be in space. It brought cold to her heart, which seemed to squeeze it like fingers.

On the computer screen in front of her a timer ticked. 1 hour 28 minutes until interception.

-------------------- END CHAPTER 9

Wow! It's been a while, hasn't it? Hopefully the next one won't be nearly as long a wait! I'd like to thank everyone who has stuck with me, and with Bitter Reunions. It's been quite a journey (how many years now?), but with this chapter we've reached the beginning of the final leg of this story. For those who have been afraid I might not finish, I can assure you that I will. It is just a question of how long it will take, haha. I have never managed to finish a chapter story before now, so it is my own personal goal to finish the final chapter of this story and have them all posted here. So please wait for me, okay?

Thank you again,

Astrael.


	10. The Moment of Hope

I don't own Tenchi Muyo or any related characters ect ect. Plot IS mine though! No takies!

--------------------

It felt like Tenchi had just fallen asleep when he was being woken up again. He turned his head to one side, waving a hand at the offending voice as if he could brush it away.

His sleep had been suffering again. Since Washu's suggestion of looking into the Juraian situation he'd spent countless hours pouring over records. He couldn't help but feel like he now knew the current events of Jurai even better then he did of the ones back on Earth. He could rattle off about their economy, their politics, and the going-ons of all four royal houses starting from when the King, Kibishii, had first begun to be mentioned. The King had been the one that Washu had suggested they looked into first.

"Obviously Ayeka would never act against Sasami," Washu had voiced during their first information session, looking up from her computer. Next to her Mihoshi had been shuffling through old articles on a holo-screen, her head resting in her hand and her eyes starting to look dazed.

"Lord Kibishii is the new player on the field of Juraian politics. Plus he is from the Royal House of Amaki, which has had a rivalry with the House of Misaki for years…Mihoshi!"

Poor Mihoshi jolted up off her hand and put a hand to her forehead in salute, obviously confused. She blinked, and regaining her surrounding had lowered her hand to rub at an eye instead. "Oh…yes Washu?"

"I want you to start searching for mentions of 'Kibishii Amaki Jurai', or 'Kibishii Amaki'. Got it?" Mihoshi had nodded and returned to her holo-screen.

This had been the start of a search that Tenchi had thrown himself into wholeheartedly. Much to his pleasure, it had also started coming back with results. There were four royal houses on planet Jurai. House Masaki, House Kamiki, House Tatsuki and House Amaki. When Ayeka and Sasami had refused to return to Jurai, in their place Kibishii Amaki- a nobleman's son and distant cousin of the former crown princesses- had been placed on the throne as King.

There was a fierce rivalry between the Masaki and Amaki houses, so it came as a great surprise when Kibishii had called for the return of the former crown princesses to planet Jurai and to be wed to him as Queens of Jurai. Since then, it seemed the planet of Jurai had flourished. Rivalry between the houses had diminished and what little military involvement they were involved in had ended. Even their economy had rocketed, though where the new money in the Jurian coffers had come from Tenchi had yet to find.

Now, what felt like just minutes from when he'd closed his eyes to pages and pages worth of politics he was being woken up again. Opening his tired eyes to a squint he saw Kiyone's blurred face above him.

"Kiyone, what's the matter?" he managed thickly.

"We're about 30 minutes from Jurai, Tenchi. There's something you need to see. Get up."

He bolted up in bed, barely missing bumping heads with Kiyone, and threw back the blankets. He was suddenly wide awake and already filling with dread. "What's the matter?"

"Nothing's the matter," Kiyone replied, though there was something in her tone that wasn't 100. "Just get up, you'll see."

Tenchi was quickly on his feet, and followed her out of his room and at a brisk pace through the hallways towards the control room. At the door Kiyone placed her hand against the sensor pad for the briefest moment and the second the door opened went through. Tenchi followed at her heels, only to stop just inside the door.

The ship's view screen was up, and on it was what looked like a small ship. It was headed towards a worn looking space station that was orbiting lazily around the closest moon to them. Mihoshi and Washu were also in the room, watching the ship with mixed expressions.

"Washu, what is that?" Tenchi asked aloud.

"It's a Juraian shuttle craft Tenchi," was her reply. Washu had her emerald eyes fixed unblinkingly on the screen, a fist brought to rest against her lips.

"From the look of it, of the Royal family," Kiyoshi added. "See here?" She pointed to what looked like just a small mark on the side of the ship. "If we were a bit closer you would see that is the Royal family's symbol. I can tell because those bits sticking out at the bottom are the roots of the Life Tree on their crest."

There was a moment of silence where all assembled gazed at the ship.

"But…why is it out here?" Mihoshi finally voiced from her spot in the captain's chair.

"I don't know…" Washu replied. "If it was sent to meet us it would have signaled us already, but it looks like it isn't even heading towards us."

"But what would Juraian royalty have to do near or on an abandoned space station?" Kiyone asked.

Just then, one of the many screens in front of Mihoshi started to flash and beep. She jumped at it and started to type at the keyboard, reading the information that was blinking before her. "Kiyone, the shuttle is sending a distress signal! It's specifically on our frequency!"

"Play it."

"Hailing the Yagami! Hailing the Yagami!" The voice was distorted, and there was lots of static, and both Tenchi and Kiyone moved closer to the speaker and tilted an ear to listen. There was something oddly familiar about the voice. "Yagami are you there?"

Mihoshi pressed a large green button by the screen and a microphone slid out from the dashboard. Leaning towards it Mihoshi replied, "Read you shuttle, I am Kuramitsu Mihoshi of the Galaxy Police. How may we assist you?"

"Mihoshi? It's Ryoko!" the voice crackled across the speakers. Four sets of eyes widened. Tenchi and Kiyone exchanged a look of bewilderment, before Kiyone bent down to carefully pry the microphone out of shocked Mihoshi's grip.

"Ryoko? It's Kiyone," she started. "Not to be rude, but how the hell did you get out of prison?"

"I…I was going between cells and my guards were discussing a galaxy police ship in the vicinity. When the name "Yagami" came up, I knew it must have been you. I managed to get away from them and hijack this shuttle, but it was in the middle of repairs and I don't have much fuel left…"

"That space station should work Ryoko," Mihoshi said, getting up onto her knees in the seat so that she could shove her face in the way of Kiyone's to speak. "It's unmanned but still functioning okay! We can pick you up!"

"We'll send someone down for you," Kiyone added as she irritably pushed Mihoshi out of the way to regain the mic. "Then we can wait for anyone who is following you to arrive and handle it from there."

"Okay…" came Ryoko's hazy reply. She sounded distressed.

"Don't worry Ryoko, we'll work this out." Kiyone was suddenly struck with an idea, and smiled slightly at her own genius. "We'll send Tenchi down to get you. Just wait in the main sector when you land. Over and out!" Kiyone disconnected, quite pleased. Tenchi's spirit would certainly lift to see her, and that's exactly what he needed.

Tenchi himself was delighted. He turned to Washu to say something but the words caught in his throat. Where he had expected Washu to look equally as pleased with Ryoko's escape, she instead appeared pensive.

"Washu?"

She didn't look at first, as if she hadn't heard him. Then slowly she turned and fixed him with a gaze that was anything but happy. "I don't think you should go Tenchi," she said with utmost seriousness.

"What?" Kiyone cried, coming to stand by them. "Washu, what are you saying? We can't just leave her there on that space sta-"

"But it doesn't make sense!" Washu burst out, pointing a finger at Kiyone. "It isn't adding up, and I'm very surprised that you haven't found this whole situation at least slightly suspicious."

"What do you mean?" Mihoshi asked, now kneeling to look over the back of the captain's chair at them.

"Ryoko, charged with the murder of the Second Queen of Jurai, manages to escape. To get from Jurai to here should have taken her at least an hour. But there's no sign of a fight and no pursuit. Why would the Juraian military let her get away so easily?"

"Are you suggesting that Ryoko is somehow involved in foul play?" Kiyone seemed appalled that it was even suggested. "Washu, I know Ryoko's track record isn't the cleanest, but still. She's always been there when we've needed her."

"I've known Ryoko longer then any of you though!" Washu shot back. This was the most upset Tenchi'd ever seen her. "We stole the Jurai Light Stone together. You don't just do that with any person off the street. I'd like to think I _know_ Ryoko, and this whole thing doesn't feel right and I don't think you should go Tenchi!" She punctuated the speech by crossing her arms with something that looked almost like a pout pulling at her face. Washu looked nothing short of disgruntled, and Kiyone looked fairly upset herself.

Tenchi looked between Washu and Kiyone, unsure. Washu did bring up fair points, but still…he knew Ryoko had always intended the best for him, for all of them. Why would she change now?

"I'm sorry Washu," he said finally. "But I just can't leave Ryoko on that space station. She has been through enough without having her friends refuse to help her." Washu opened her mouth, but Tenchi cut her off. "If it bothers you that badly, I'll bring someone down with me. Okay?" He smiled, trying to inject some of his confidence in Ryoko to her. But Washu didn't say anything, just scowled and looked away resigned.

"I'll go! I'll get a shuttle ready Tenchi!" Mihoshi offered, climbing out of the seat and running to the door. "It'll be ready in a few minutes!"

Tenchi realized as Mihoshi left that he was still in his pajamas. He quickly excused himself from Washu and Kiyone. He was almost sure that if he hadn't had an excuse to leave he would have thought one up quickly. Both women were looking very upset, and he was almost certain that they would start up a full fledged argument any minute.

While he understood Washu's concern, he didn't agree with leaving Ryoko where she was. Surely she couldn't explain everything to them, and once they'd gotten her back onto the Yagami everything would be sorted out. Plus if she was on the run, of course she wouldn't have revealed much

To be able to take the next step without worry for her was probably be most satisfying yet. Since the start of their trek towards Jurai the worst part had been never really knowing what was happening. He knew on several occasions he'd wondered to himself if Ryoko was alright. 'Were they treating her right?', 'Was she safe?' and at his bleakest moments even 'Is she still alive?'. Ayeka too, he had worried about. If there was something wrong happening on Jurai, how was he to know she was safe from it as well?

He'd reached the door to his room and entered. Quickly he started to dress, haphazardly replacing his pj's with jeans and a tee-shirt, and running his fingers through his hair before tying it back. Walking to the tiny adjacent bathroom he swished some water and took a look at his tired face in the mirror.

He was excited to see Ryoko, he realized as he left his room and started towards the shuttle bay. But he also realized that for the first time in his life she made him nervous. No, not nervous- apprehensive. For Ryoko had made him nervous several times: during her numerous foolish hi-jinxes for attention, seeing the dangerous glint that would sometimes make its way into her eye, or how she and the other girls had always had a habit of showing up unexpected in Tokyo.

But never before had she done anything to make his heart tighten and his stomach flutter quite like this. He supposed his own ignorance was to blame in this case. Who knew how long the feelings had been there, and he had credited them to something else?

"Come on Tenchi!" He looked up to see Mihoshi standing by the door of the shuttle bay. She waved, looking equally as anxious as he felt. "I've set everything up, so we're ready to go!" She turned to open the door, and then with an "oh!" turned back to him.

"Kiyone and Washu are already in there," she told him in conspiring tones. It was all she said before turning around again, and all she needed to say. As the shuttle bay opened, it was clear the two were still troubled. While it seemed like they had come to some sort of decision on their differences of opinion, both still looked rather huffy.

"We'd like you to be as quick as possible with this whole thing," Kiyone told them. "Don't wait around, just get her and come back here."

"Mihoshi, I want you to stay on the shuttle," said Washu. "That way you can get out of there as quickly as possible."

"Rodger that!" Mihoshi replied, saluting before heading towards the waiting door of the shuttle.

"See you soon," Tenchi added with a small smile, before following Mihoshi onto the shuttle.

"Wear your belt," Kiyone called as the door of the shuttle started to lift. "She's one of the worst shuttle pilots in the Galaxy Police!" Then they were both shut out by the door.

"Kiyone doesn't know what she's talking about," Mihoshi told Tenchi with a frown from where she was starting to steer. "I've gotten a lot better these past few years. You might want to put on your seatbelt anyway though." she added, as the small craft tilted uncomfortably to the left.

After indeed putting on his seatbelt, Tenchi watched the view screen anxiously as the space station loomed closer. He could see the docking bay where Ryoko's shuttle was already parked. Just the sight of it made his heart beat a little faster. He wanted to see her, to see she was okay. To hear Ryoko say it herself that she was innocent. He wanted….he wanted to tell her what he'd realized himself. Ryoko had made it very clear before that what he wanted to say were the words she'd always been looking to hear from him.

Now, he wanted to say them. He needed to. He was ready for this.

Ryoko however, was _not_ ready for this. She knew that she would never be ready for this. Now in the emptied main section of the space station she stood alone, in the center. She'd easily managed to get out of her handcuffs, her arms at her side with the loops hanging there like a mockery of bracelets. She did not move.

The conversation she'd had just moments ago between those on the Yagami and herself was still playing clearly in her head. She'd seen the holes in her story to them even as she was telling it. The shuttle without warning had started sending the distress signal when it had gotten in range. The entire story had been off the top of her head.

What had been even worse though was hearing the hope and excitement in Mihoshi and Kiyone's voices. They thought she was coming back safe, that she'd made it. Her intentions being a total opposite to that made her body hurt, and her brain numb. Kiyone had even volunteered Tenchi to come and get her. She closed her eyes, and took a breath that rattled out.

How would she do this? She felt like she was driving a car without a windshield. She was going by impulse and instinct as opposed to a clear path. Tenchi would be there any second, and she still wasn't even sure what to say to him when she saw him. She'd purposely stood with her back to the hallway that led towards the docking bay. She didn't want to see his face when he saw her. Her heart was near breaking just from standing there.

She knew that she probably wouldn't hear the shuttle docking. Instead she listened for footsteps. They would be fast. He would be running. She knew she would run, if the situation had been switched. If Tenchi had been the one pulled from her grasp, and taken away. She could almost hear her footsteps echoing against the metal walls. Nothing could have kept her away from seeing him again, from running around the corner and into the open room and seeing him standing there. She'd call out his name and…

"Ryoko!"

Her whole body stiffened, her hands suddenly cold. Lost in her own thoughts, she had mistaken Tenchi's footsteps for her own. She started to turn, pausing and then looking slowly behind her. He stood still in the doorway, gazing at her as if he didn't quite believe she really was standing there. Far from a savior in uniform, he looked oddly vulnerable in his jeans.

"I…I can't believe it…" he murmured. He took a few tentative steps towards her, his expression doing nothing less then drinking her presence in. It made her stomach turn with guilt. He then ran the distance across the room, coming to stop just inches from her and reaching out to grasp a hand in his.

"Are you okay?" Ryoko started at his question. It was the last thing she had expected from him, and it made her feel even worse. How was she going to tell him what she had to do…?

"I…I've been better." It was the truth. She could pick a thousand situations other then this one that she was in now. Of course she wasn't okay, how could she be?

He made a consoling noise, but said nothing to her. His eyes were still roaming her face. She didn't think he'd ever looked at her like that before. The intensity of it had her heart in her throat.

"Tenchi?" He seemed to snap out of his reverie, face red.

"Sorry… we should get back to the ship Ryoko. Mihoshi is waiting…" He reached out and took her hand, turning back towards the docking bay. Ryoko panicked. She couldn't go back to the ship with him, and had no idea how to avoid it. But then Tenchi stopped mid-stride, and turned back towards her.

"Wait, let's go sit somewhere," he amended. Instead, Tenchi lead her to a low metal wall a little further back. At one time it looked to have held something like a fountain. But now it was dry, only the square-shaped walls remaining. He sat down on it, pulling her down to sit across from him. He looked very serious, and slightly embarrassed.

"Ryoko, before we go any further, I need you to…tell me. It's not because I doubt you, or don't trust your word. It's just…I need to hear it again from you." He looked steadily at her, the unasked question quite obvious.

"I'm innocent," she replied simply. Tenchi's face broke into a small smile. Ryoko smiled back just as slightly at the acceptance of her word. But instantly her heart sank again under the weight of her task.

"I'm glad," Tenchi said. "I'm sure the others will be glad to hear it too. The Jurian news hasn't been the kindest…"

Ryoko smiled tensely, and lowered her eyes to the dirty metal ground. Tenchi's voice continued on as a dull vibration against her ears, without real understanding or meaning for her. She felt dirty. It wasn't a trivial, fixable task in front of her. Ryoko had finally figured out the only way to do it. She needed to break Tenchi's heart, and his trust. She realized she saw love in his eyes. What she'd always wanted, and didn't deserve.

But, she needed to make sure he was totally out of the Juraian situation. She was a coward for doing it this way. She could just tell him to run, to not come to Jurai, but the truth wouldn't change his mind. She could run away, but then Ayeka's murder would be placed on her, and no doubt Tenchi as well. The walls felt as if they were closing in, and she knew that this new Kibishii would fight as dirty as he needed to, to succeed. She finally saw that if she didn't do it Kibishii's way, so much more would be lost. Tenchi had healed from losing Sakuya; no doubt he could heal and love again. As for her, she was getting used to the constant feeling of loss. What was a little more?

Ryoko realized suddenly that the room had become very quiet. There wasn't the rumble of engines, or the sounds of other life, or even breathing. She was totally enveloped in silence. Looking up very slowly, she met Tenchi's eyes as he stared at her. A small, eager smile was pulling on his lips that she found herself unable to return. He didn't seem to notice though, but only reached out and touched her cheek gently. She forced herself not to flinch under his fingers, not to look away.

"Ryoko, I'm so glad you're safe," he whispered, leaning forward slightly. "I was so worried...I didn't understand why. I couldn't sleep, I couldn't eat."

The hand that he'd been placing all his weight on started to glide across the gap between them, as if the metal were ice. The distance was closing, and Ryoko did all she could not to flee, or to scream. But the look in his eyes was the look she'd been waiting to see for years. They were so warm upon her face, to the extent that she felt like she was being burnt alive beneath them.

The hand that caressed her cheek, now traveled over her face, rough fingertips trailing haltingly over her lips. "But then, I realized it Ryoko."

"Realized what, Tenchi?" She was so choked by the situation that her voice faltered and drifted away, leaving silence. Tenchi looked confused, and then smiled again, so softly that his lips barely turned up. He leaned forward towards her, and his now sure lips hovered just above hers. Closing his eyes, he murmured, "That I love you," and closed the distance to kiss her.

But his lips never touched Ryoko's. She'd reached up roughly and grabbed his chin in a tight grip. He opened his eyes in disbelief and stared at her, his gaze following the trail of the single tear that dripped from her eye and down her cheek. For an instant, they sat there, staring at each other. In the next instant though, she'd thrown him away from her, and he hit the ground with a heavy thud.

Tenchi pushed himself up and stared at her, mouth opening and shutting in disbelief. Ryoko remained where she was, hands resting neatly in her lap and one foot tucked behind the other. She stared straight ahead, and though her face was set, it seemed like a wall that was crumbling from the inside.

Standing abruptly, Ryoko looked him full on in the face. She raised a hand and formed a ball of energy there, cradling the glowing ball peacefully. Curling her fingers around it, the light elongated and formed her sword, which she held before her and pointed at Tenchi's neck.

He stared at her, still very confused. Pushing himself up, he finally found the words he wanted to say. "What are you doing?"

Ryoko remained silent. She lowered her eyes from his expression, staring instead at the shimmering weapon in her hand. "I am going to kill you Tenchi, if you don't fight back."

-------------------- END CHAPTER 10


	11. The Unthinkable Act

I don't own Tenchi Muyo or any related characters ect ect. Plot IS mine though! No takies!

--------------------

"What?!"

"I am going to kill you." She looked up once more into his face, but refused to meet his eyes. She could feel the energy pulsing through her fingers, and clenched the sword tighter. Tenchi didn't move.

Ryoko swung her foot out at him, connecting with his ribs and sending him across the floor. "Fight me Tenchi!" she cried, slashing her sword in front of her. She closed the distance quickly as he scrambled to his feet and jabbed at the space where he'd just been sprawled.

Tenchi was now backing towards the nearest wall, hands held defensively in front of him. His eyebrows where knit together in a look of nothing less then bewilderment. Ryoko moved slowly towards him, her sword held loosely in her hand. She hadn't actually meant to kick him. The fact that he hadn't gotten out of the way in time had scared her. For the briefest moment she'd forgotten that she was a lot faster then Tenchi and her powers gave her a foot up as a fighter.

The silence that was stretching between the two of them was unsettling. Ryoko wasn't sure what she could say to him, and Tenchi was at a loss for words. Moments ago everything had been shy and tender. Now she stared at him with a face set like stone. He finally voiced the thought that was running constantly through his head.

"Why are you doing this?" She didn't answer him, but her expression tightened. Once more she started towards him, obviously aiming to attack. He backed away and dodged again, this time as she slashed for his legs.

Swinging her sword in an arch over her head she once more aimed the point towards him. Tenchi had backed himself around her and was standing in the middle of the room. With the space he easily avoided Ryoko's raining attacks, though to do so was becoming harder and harder. It seemed with each swipe of her sword she was becoming more frantic. The look in her eyes was not anger, or vengeance. If anything she gave the impression of being desperately scared. Once more too close to one of the walls Tenchi dodged to the side, tripped and sprawled onto the ground. He felt the cold metal of the floor on his skin, and pushed himself up enough to see that her energy sword had come close enough to slice his shirt across the belly.

Ryoko was rattled by the second near-miss she'd had. Unwilling to risk hurting him with her sword she recalled the energy into a ball and let it die away. The sword had been only for show, she didn't want to risk seriously hurting him. Tenchi wasn't reacting at all like she'd hoped, though in truth she hadn't expected any less of him. He was too much of a man to attack back. But if they continued like this nothing would happen. They would either exhaust themselves, or she would have to run. Ryoko realized she needed actual violence against him to get the message across. It made her feel nauseous. But as she blinked she remembered the look in Kibishii's eyes, and his threatening words. Not feeling at all like her self, she balled her fists and ran towards him as he clamored up off the floor.

Ryoko's fist hit him square in the left shoulder, chucking him backwards. It hurt, but he also knew that Ryoko was capable of a lot more and that she had to be holding back. He was still totally lost as to why she would attack him in the first place. Barely catching his fall he once more got his balanced and turned to face her.

She had told him to fight back, but there was no way he could do that. As she punched for him again Tenchi grabbed her arm, using her momentum to swing her away from him. But Ryoko quickly recovered, spinning on her foot to redirect her blows once more upon Tenchi. With a yell she charged forward with a burst of unnatural speed.

She was swinging blindly now, mostly missing. Ryoko greatly hoped that Tenchi would take her seriously and run. But at the same time his defense-only tactic was frustrating her. Why did he have to be so noble? Finally connecting with his chest after many misses she sent him flying into the wall behind him. She flinched as he hit his head, sliding down to sit for a moment dazed. As he tried to get to his feet again she ran up and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, pulling Tenchi to his feet. His shirt ripped and Ryoko was left holding a strip of his collar as he stumbled back into the wall. She dropped it and grabbed his neck instead. Now with him pinned against the wall she stepped closer, staring directly into his eyes.

"Why the hell aren't you fighting back?" she asked through her teeth, sounding like she was on the verge of tears. Tenchi shook his head as best as he could, her grasp holding his head very firmly immobile. Ryoko now looked like she was about to cry in earnest. Her breath was heaving and her eyes darting around as if trying to find one single thing other then the man in front of her to look at. With a yell she threw him to the floor, turning away.

She couldn't allow herself to cry. Yet tears were dripping from her eyes betrayingly. She could hear him getting to his feet again, coming towards her with what almost sounded like a limp.

"Ryoko…" he reached out a hand to touch her shoulder. Before he could though, she spun around, a clenched fist hitting him full in the face. Almost instantly he could feel blood gushing from his nose. While covering his nose as best he could to stem to blood flow, Ryoko hit him twice more and kicked his footing out from under him.

"Goddamn you!!" she screamed, tears now flowing freely down her cheeks.

Tenchi once more started to get up, kneeling as he wiped the blood off his mouth. Then he heard a third pair of footsteps running towards them. Through the open doorway ran Mihoshi.

"Is everything okay? I thought I heard fi-" Mihoshi stopped mid-stride, staring at the scene in front of her. Tenchi was on the floor, very clearly beaten up and bleeding. Ryoko behind him had been splattered with blood from his freely bleeding nose, the cut in her hand re-opened and staining her bandages red.

For a flash everyone was frozen. But then time seemed to speed up to twice its normal velocity. Mihoshi suddenly had a blaster gun in her hand, and pointed at Ryoko. With a click it fired a shot at her, the energy ball hitting her directly in the chest and sending her flying backwards. Mihoshi rushed to Tenchi's side, pulling him to his feet. Standing in front of him, the gun still held in front of her, she started to lead Tenchi backwards. He tried to open his mouth to say something, but it only caused a fresh gush of blood from his nose which ran into his mouth.

Sputtering he looked for Ryoko instead. She was now lying a full several yards from where she'd been standing moments before. Mihoshi's gun must have been set on a lower level, because though the clothes she'd been wearing had been singed with the blast and there was a shiny red burn on her upper chest she was not bleeding. She got up again only to have Mihoshi fire several more shots at her. She dropped to her knees, throwing up her hands to cover her head.

"Stay where you are!! Don't move!!" Mihoshi was yelling over the noise of her blaster as she continued to shoot. They were almost to the hallway that led to the docking bay. Ryoko was now surrounded with the flashing light and smoke of the blaster shots. With one final shot from her gun Mihoshi turned, dragging Tenchi with her through the door. He looked behind him as he was dragged away. The smoke was clearing and he saw Ryoko look up from between her arms, expression lost in the haze.

Mihoshi refused to slow down until they were back at the shuttle. The second they were through the doors she was initiating take off, the hatch shutting. Tenchi dropped to the floor feeling light headed. There was no sign of Ryoko in pursuit. The doors shut with a sigh and the shuttle was now undocking and quickly maneuvering back into open space. Tenchi leaned back against the nearest wall, feeling lost. He would have never in a million years imagined that reunion ending like it had.

He reached up to touch his face. Upon closer inspection he found that his lip had split, and his nose was very swollen and still slightly bleeding. Along with the extreme pain of his face he could also feel aches all over his body that were no doubt turning into bruises. Using the edge of his already ripped shirt he reached up and pinched his nose with it, tilting his head forward slightly. Mihoshi was piloting in silence, body ridged. She didn't ask any questions, and for this Tenchi was thankful. It might have been from all the blood he had lost, but he was feeling very disoriented. He wasn't sure if he would have been able to answer any questions at all…

Tenchi opened his eyes suddenly, starting. He must have passed out briefly, because though moments ago they had been half way between the space station and the _Yagami _they were now landed and he was surrounded by the hands of people helping him to stand.

"Stay with us Tenchi," Kiyone said as she hefted him up by one arm. Mihoshi was holding on to his other. Together they helped him stand and walk out of the ship. Making a limping pace they strode out of the _Yagami_'s shuttle bay and down through the halls to the common area of the ship. Inside Washu was standing, waiting for him. As Kiyone and Mihoshi helped him sit down on one of the couches she came forward with a cloth in hand.

Washu started to clean the blood away from his face. It hurt, a lot. Tenchi winced as she worked, dabbing patiently. Her face hosted an expression that was one he had almost never seen from Washu. She looked tired, and sad. She was finding no victory from her correct assumptions about the situation they had put themselves into. It was an almost uncharacteristic look from her. It was a moment before he realized that it was only the two of them alone.

"She didn't mean to," he managed thickly. Washu's eyes darted up to look at his only briefly before she returned her attention to the blood she was wiping off his chin and neck.

"Oh?"

"Well…" he paused for a minute, wondering now he could put what he saw into words. "She meant to. But she didn't want to. If she'd wanted to I'd be dead."

There was another stretched silence. Washu was getting a new clean cloth, her current one now entirely the coppery tone of blood. When she turned back to him she placed the cool cloth up near the bridge of his nose and moved his hand there to hold it. Then she placed a butterfly bandage on his lip. Standing back, she took in the bruises now blooming on his face. No doubt there were others under his ruined shirt. She let out a deep heavy sigh.

"I know…"

Tenchi lifted up the cloth so that his other hand could carefully squeeze his nose at the bridge. He let out a yelp, face contorting. "No pain killer from the Greatest Scientist in the Universe?"

Washu laughed, her expression lightening significantly. "Naaah, you're tough," she said, clasping her hands behind her head.

The door to the room opened then. Mihoshi entered, pausing to look at Tenchi and Washu briefly. She was moving in a very rigid, unusual manor. She then went to the small kitchenette in the corner of the room and started making tea. Washu was cleaning up the various things she'd used, placing them all carefully into the case she'd gotten them out of. Once she was done with this she sat down on the couch next to Tenchi.

"Tell me everything," she said. So he did. From the moment they'd left the Yagami until when he was waking up again after they docked. Every word, expression, sentence that he could remember. He tried his hardest not to be abashed about his attempt at a confession, but as he mentioned it he could feel himself blush at the embarrassment of it all. Half way through his story Mihoshi brought the tea she had made for them over in mugs and set them on the coffee table. She then sat down, looking at her hands as if they were very interesting. When Tenchi got to the part about her shooting at Ryoko she tensed.

Washu looked over to her. "You're reaction time has become much better Mihoshi," she said quietly. When Mihoshi looked up, there were tears building in her eyes.

"I didn't mean to," she blubbered. "I was scared, but there was blood everywhere and I…" Wiping at her eyes she sniffed loudly. "I hope I didn't hurt Ryoko too bad."

"You shouldn't worry Mihoshi," Washu told her earnestly. "Even though it wasn't easy to do, you did the right thing."

Mihoshi started to bawl in reply.

As Tenchi was finishing his story Kiyone came in, leaning against the wall right inside of the door. She listened to the tail end of his story with her arms crossed, and in the silence that followed cleared her throat. "The shuttle was already fairly far away by the time I went to check. She must have left just after you guys did."

"Back to Jurai?" Washu asked.

"Just re-entered the atmosphere," Kiyone replied. She then sighed, bowing her head. "You were right Washu. I should have listened to you. Things on Jurai _are_ fishy. And Ryoko has somehow gotten involved into it further then a just some political scapegoat."

"A scapegoat?" Mihoshi asked, still wiping at her eyes.

"I had my suspicions, but I think this confirms it," Washu replied. "If that's the case Kiyone, we should get out of here for a bit and regroup." Kiyone left again at once.

"Wait…Washu," Tenchi started. "What do you mean 'more' then a scapegoat? Do you mean this is no longer just Ryoko being falsely arrested?" Washu nodded.

"Ryoko would never act against her friends. She's become too loyal for that. But she is rash, emotional, and foolhardy. And all these things make her easy to manipulate. I don't know what she's gotten herself tangled into, but I think this is a lot larger then we realize."

Back on Jurai, Ryoko's shuttle had just landed roughly in the private shuttle bay of the palace. The doors opened automatically, revealing Ryoko sitting on the floor of the craft. Mihoshi's shot to her chest has blistered up, along with another hit she had gotten on Ryoko's lower right side. She was splattered in blood, clothes singed in several spots, and looking very lifeless. In her hand was a scrap of blood spattered cotton.

Kakusu was waiting, surrounded by his standard party of militia and looking quite pleased. He silently motioned for the guards to assist her to stand, but before they could move Ryoko started getting to her feet. His eyebrows lifted in astonishment as she staggered her way out of the shuttle and came to stand several feet in front of him.

"My my, you are just full of surprises Ryoko. You hardly look capable of all this walking, and yet here you are."

Ryoko didn't reply. She seemed very focused on just standing.

"I assume from the blood everything went according to plan?" Kakusu asked with a thin smile, his watery green eyes looking her over. Ryoko nodded, eyes lowered.

"Very good, very good." He turned to the nearest guard, mumbling orders to him. The man nodded and left with several others. Kakusu then turned to the remaining guards and motioned to Ryoko. They nodded and went to stand in a circle around her, moving her away from Kakusu.

"Wait…" Ryoko started, finally finding her voice as she was cuffed and several sets of hands grabbed onto her. "Kibishii said that I would be let off if…if I did this."

She turned to look behind her as she was led off. Kakusu remained where he was, watching as she was escorted away. He laughed at her, brushing some of his wavy orange hair out of his eyes and shaking his head slightly.

"He never said when."

Ryoko's expression blanched, before her cheeks blushed angrily. There was a painful lump in her throat that she couldn't swallow. Since arriving in the palace she'd always kept herself in check, kept her emotions under control. Every last act, down to the one that she had just carried out on the space station had been performed over her carefully buried emotions. Now, she didn't care who saw or heard.

"I had his word; he told me I could go!!" Ryoko cried out, struggling with energy that she hadn't known she still had. The hands holding her tightened and she was swarmed with the guards as they tried to stop her thrashing.

"KIBISHII GAVE ME HIS WORD!" She kicked at the nearest guards, pulling against her cuffs. But her eyes remained on Kakusu, flashing like lighting. There was a pain in her chest that was unrelated to the burns. It was inside, breaking, shattering. She knew the pain had been there, it had been there since she arrived on Jurai. It was the pain of losing Sasami and of the hate in Ayeka's eyes, of being pulled from Tenchi's arms, the pain that her friends were risking their lives for her. Her eyes burned with the tears that streamed from them, and down her face.

The men around her were calling out, someone screaming about sedation. But it was only Kakusu she had eyes for. He remained where he stood, watching her struggle. If she had not known the sadism in him, she would have said he was lost in his thoughts. He had a small half smile on his face. But his eyes were fixed on her, and did not reflect the rest of his absentminded air.

Ryoko's body felt a shock run through it, originating from her handcuffs. Almost instantly she went limp, falling backwards into the men's arms. Her head lolled forward to see a guard with a charm in his hand, similar to the one that had been used on her on the spaceship that had brought her to Jurai. She couldn't even open her mouth the pain had shocked her so thoroughly. Heaving her dead weight up off the ground the men continued.

In silence she was shepherded from the room and once more brought through the halls of the palace to the dingy cell she had been kept in before Kibishii's offer. Ryoko collapsed to the floor the moment she was deposited into the cell. The force field was reinstated, the handcuffs removed, and she was left alone with only the dim light of the shield, for once without a mocking guard to accompany her. The burns on her body were throbbing dully, and she felt slightly nauseous.

It was a long while before she could move again. She was not sure if it was because of the electric shock that the Juraian's were so favorable towards as sedation, or just the sheer exhaustion that she was feeling. But eventually she could slowly press the heels of her fisted hands to her eyes, trying to stop the shudders that were starting all over her body.

Taking a deep breath she looked up and around the cell, before lowering her eyes to one of her clenched hands. Opening her palm she looked down at the scrap of fabric in her hand. It was the piece of Tenchi's collar that she had ripped. She gazed down upon it, the last scrap of her life with him.

She knew she had hurt him. All the blood…what if she'd broken his nose? Ryoko once more closed her hand around the fabric scrap, resting the fist that held it against her chest. Every heart beat hurt, and the shudders that were claiming her body turned into sobs.

She could still remember the feeling of her hand contacting with his flesh, and the look in Mihoshi's eyes as she had entered the room. She could still see the expression on Kakusu's face as he denied her release.

She could be held indefinitely by Kibishii now. Thinking back on his words, she saw the loop hole in them. 'I will let you get off free', he had said. No promise of when, or of her safety or treatment until then. For all she knew he would leave her in that cell until the day before she died, as long as she had one step worth of freedom.

Now Ayeka was in even more danger due to her ignorance to Kibishii's puppeteering. What if she too discovered this secret that Kibishii kept covering his tracks over? Furthermore, she had little doubt that Tenchi and the rest were leaving as she lay there. What reason did they have to stay after her betrayal? What if she never saw any of them again? The thought twisted at her heart.

"Oh god, what have I done?" Ryoko moaned, her voice resounding off the walls of the empty chamber. "What have I done?"

-------------------- END CHAPTER 11


End file.
